Lean On Me
by pennylayne
Summary: Skittery and Crutchy find two new friends in less than ideal circumstances and are quickly sucked into a world of what can only be described as pure evil.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own _Newsies_, but you all know that. Disney owns it, and they don't like to share much.All original characters NOT in _Newsies_, however, I DO own. And you can't have them. Well, maybe you can. But only if you ask nicely. :) Anyhow. Please R&R, I'd love to know what you think. -Layne**

* * *

Twilight fell over Manhattan, cooling the cobblestones as the sun seemed to evaporate. Sweaty, dirty teenagers and children trudged home after a long day's work selling newspapers in the heat and the hustle and the bustle of New York City, exhausted and surprisingly quiet. Some, the younger boys, had their sights set on the goal of a cool glass of water and a bed to lay down on, while the older residents of the Duane Street Newsboys Lodging House smiled to themselves as they thought of a poker game and maybe some whiskey that someone, without a doubt, _had_ to be hiding somewhere.

A tall, tanned boy walked alongside his friend, silent and smirking as the crippled young man chattered excitedly about the rather mundane events of the day. This was Crutchy for ya; every little thing was something to be enthusiastic about. The boy was like a walking billboard that said, "ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE."

Skittery patted his friend on the shoulder in appreciation of his cheerfulness, then focused on unbuttoning the top of his longjohns to let the cool evening air hit his chest. He heaved a sigh of gratitude, grinning as he took in the beauty of a night like this. It was perfect, clear, cool, the kind of night that made him love living in New York, even during the summer.

Running a hand through his messy dark hair, he listened to the sounds of the city he called home. Shops closing, people hurrying home to their families, conversations over dinner floating out windows, a rustle in an alleyway followed by labored breathing and the distinct whimper of someone in serious pain.

Skittery stopped dead in his tracks.

"...and while this guy is yellin' at me for makin' up the headline, this dog just comes outta nowhere and just bites him in the... Skittery? Skittery, what are ya doin'?" Crutchy hobbled the few steps back to where his friend was standing, and peered into the darkening alley.

Two pairs of legs lay limp, skirts pulled high over them; two bodies lay helpless, battered and bleeding, one shaking in fear and pain, the other lying frighteningly still...


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh, sweet Jesus..." Crutchy's smile and lighthearted mood quickly disappeared. Living on these streets, the boys had seen all forms of cruelty and violence and brutality. They'd witnessed friends, brothers, beaten mercilessly by scabbers and police officers, seen mere children dragged off carelessly to the Refuge. They were sure that they had probably, unwittingly, even seen a murder or two. But never, _never_ had they seen girls beaten and used like this, mauled and tossed away like so much garbage.

Tonight, these were not the streets they lived on and loved.

"Crutchy. Tibby's is just a street over. Jack's there... get him. Hurry." Skittery walked into the alley as Crutchy scurried off, nearly falling over in his rush. The tall boy kneeled down between the girls, placing a hand on the back of the one who shivered and cried. She sobbed in fear, her muscles tensing against his touch.

"Please, don't!" she screamed, trying her best to move away from him. "No more... I can't..."

Skittery lifted his hand, making a soft "shh" noise as he brushed her limp copper hair from her face. "It's okay. You're okay. I'm here to help." Sighing as she still cowered from him, he placed his fingers against the throat of the other girl. Weak though it was, there was a pulse. "Not dead," he mumbled to himself, half in disbelief. "Unconcious."

Jack appeared, panting, not even seeing what was in the alley. "Skittery... what... the... hell... do you..." As Skittery nodded to the girls behind him, Jack's eyes went wide. "What happened here?" His friend shrugged, looking at his leader expectantly.

"What do we do, Jack?" Jack always knew what to do. Jack always had a solution for everything. _Always_.

"I don't... we gotta... they need a doctor. It's too late tonight. We gotta take 'em to the lodging house. They need a place to stay for the night."

Skittery looked to the concious girl, looking in terror from him to Jack. "We're gonna take you home with us." Her eyes widened and her face blanched. She shook her head. "You'll be okay. No one will touch you. Newsies knows to be good ta ladies. You and your friend will be safe there, you'll have a place to sleep with a roof over your head. You'll be okay, I promise."

Jack lifted her limp companion into his arms. Jack was stronger than Skittery, gentler, he knew how to take care of people.

"I'm going to pick you up," Skittery said, as he straightened her skirt over her legs for her. "I need you to hang onto me, okay?" He lifted her battered body and she wrapped her arms about his neck. The dress that must have been beautiful once was now tattered and nearly destroyed, the bodice ripped, and a breast lay partially exposed. The situation may have been erotic, had she not been so badly hurt and had Skittery not been so terrified. He grabbed one of the papers he hadn't managed to sell that day and unfolded it, laying it over her chest in modesty.

* * *

The sun shone brightly in the dormitory of the lodging house, illuminating the sheets draped around two bunks the boys had pushed together. Skittery and Crutchy stared blankly at the white linens, wondering whether the girls would wake up today, and if they did, what horrors that would bring to light.

There was a rustling behind the sheets, followed by a loud "thunk!" as a head came into contact with the upper bunk. A rather unladylike oath could be heard, and the boys smirked. Skittery rose and walked over to the bunk, moving the sheet aside. "Mornin'," he said, putting on the friendliest smile he could muster under the circumstances.

"Who are you? Where..." The girl stopped to think a minute, and tears began to fill her bright green eyes. "Oh, God."

"My..." Skittery cleared his throat and straightened himself. "My name's Skittery. What's yours?"

The girl looked up at him skeptically, her eyes cutting into his like knives. Her face was beautiful, despite the cuts and bruises and black eyes. Her lower lip was bloody and swollen, but Skittery imagined her mouth was naturally full. She sized him up, decided he was decent – a little dirty, disheveled, but good-looking nonetheless.

"Anna. Anna O'Malley." Skittery smiled. O'Malley. Irish... that would explain the slight lilt to her voice and the rather foul mouth she tried to hide. He nodded to the girl sleeping beside her, and she looked over. "Oh. Oh, _shit_." Definitely Irish, he decided, then realized the reason for her cursing. "That's Elise... my cousin." Her eyes swam with worry and disbelief.

"She's okay. She's banged up pretty good, but she rolled over during the night, she can move. I don't think she's unconcious anymore, just sleepin'." He smiled comfortingly at her. She sighed in relief and leaned back against the old and lumpy pillows she had been given the night before.

Another young man appeared at the sighed of the bed, wearing a grin that could chase away the blackest raincloud. "Gonna introduce me, Skitts?"

Skittery laughed. "Anna, this is Crutchy. Crutchy, this is Anna O'Malley, and that over there is her cousin, Elise." Crutchy grinned wider and swept his hat off his head, going into a deep bow that drew a chuckle out of Anna.

"Welcome, m'lady, I hopes you find our quarters suitable..." he tried his hardest to sound like an English gentleman, but failed miserably with his thick New York accent.

At Anna's nervous laughter, Elise opened her eyes. A weak hand reached out to grab hold of her cousin's, shaking as she did so.

"Anna, where are we?" Elise tried to look around, seeing only the makeshift curtains and small bloodstains on her sheets and blanket. "They're not here, are they?"

Whoever she was referring to, Anna blanched at the thought. She shook her head.

Crutchy and Skittery looked at the girls, puzzled. Who were 'they,' and why were these girls afraid of them?

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, kind of a crappy ending to the chapter. Ah well. I promise this will get good. :) What do you guys think so far? Please R&R! -Layne**


	3. Chapter 3

Days had passed. Kloppmann had decided that it wasn't proper to let young ladies fend for themselves on the streets, especially after the ordeal they'd gone through, and deemed it necessary that they stay in the lodging house until they'd sorted everything out.

Bruises were fading, cuts were healing, and the girls were up and walking around. They were friendly with Skittery and Crutchy, even sold with them a couple times, but were still closed-off and skeptical of the other newsies. Despite the new friendship, Skittery still had no idea what was going on with these Irish beauties, where they came from, who they were afraid of, why they were hurt.

Well, he didn't know until that night.

It was dark in the dormitory, but it was not quiet. Put a bunch of teenage boys in one room and it is never quiet. Not even while they're sleeping. There was soft breathing, heavy breathing, snoring, sleep-talking, bodies turning over on mattresses. Skittery heard footsteps, assumed it was someone going to the lavatory.

Anna's warm, soft body crawled into bed beside him. She rested her head on his shoulder and laid a hand on his chest. Instinctively, Skittery wrapped an arm around her small, delicate form and smiled secretly to himself. He liked her.

Adjusting the oversized shirt one of the boys had given her to sleep in, she sighed heavily. "Do you want to know?"

* * *

They sat across from each other downstairs, a fire glowing behind Anna's messy head of hair. He looked at her, waiting, never to rush her. He'd learned, over the years, not to push people into telling their stories.

"My parents... they live in Ireland. I say 'live' loosely... I'm not sure anymore whether they're alive or not. My papa, he was in trouble, _bad_ trouble. He'd fooled around with the wrong people, racked up a lot of debts and finally couldn't pay them back. Our family was threatened every day. Some days it'd be threats against Papa's life, some days it'd be threats against me, my mama, the rest of my family. I'd been grabbed off the streets a couple times." She dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt.

Skittery walked over and sat beside her, taking her hand. She smiled weakly at him, and continued. "Eventually, he sent me and my mama to live with my uncle and Elise in Dublin, figured we'd be safe there. Boy, he was wrong..." Anna choked down what seemed to be a cross between a sob and a quite humorless laugh. "These people, they found us. They were a group of thugs, they were big... they broke into the house when my uncle was workin'. Said me papa was a coward..." Her accent grew thicker through her tears, and Skittery found that to be quite possibly the most attractive thing in the world. "Said he was a coward for hidin' us and runnin' away. The leader, boss, whatever you call him... he's got these two sons. Told them to take us... I don't remember where he said. Me and Elise, we were scared and screamin' and cryin'... they hit us with somethin'. Knocked us out. Last thing I remember, was my mama screaming for help." She sighed and held her head in her hands, her elbows on her knees for support. Tears fell from her eyes to the floor, making their own tiny oases in the dust. Skittery's heart broke. He rubbed her back and she shrugged him off.

"I woke up on a boat. Not just a boat, I guess. One of those... you know. Immigrant ships. Elise was with me. Those boys, the sons, they were there. Just sitting there, watching us. Said we were going to New York..." She broke off, sobbing loudly into her hands.

Skittery pulled her close, drew her head into his chest. She was weak, tired, hurt in so many ways. He wished he knew how to comfort her. "Shh," he said, stroking her hair. "Lean on me, cry on me, it'll be okay." He rocked her back and forth, rubbing her back, whispering softly in her ear.

Minutes went by like hours. It seemed years before she stopped crying and looked up at him. "I have terrible luck, Skittery. Those boys... they're who did all this. Me and Elise became like their slaves. We cooked, cleaned, did everything for them. We were as kind and gracious as we could be. But they still raped us, beat us, every single day. We ran away that night... that night you and Crutchy found us. They caught up to us, did what they always did... but worse. They left us to die, Skittery. You saved me, you made the nightmare end... you'd think I'd consider myself lucky at that. But the nightmare didn't end, it comes back every night. Terrible, terrible luck."

Skittery pulled a penny out of his pocket, held it to her hair in the firelight. "Just what I thought," he said with a smile.

"What?"

"Your hair. It's the exact same color as a brand-new penny. Pennies are lucky, Anna, you know that. And that's exactly what you are. A lucky penny."

"Penny" stuck. Anna hated nicknames most of the time... but this one was special. Later on, it was explained to her that she was a true newsie, and all newsies needed nicknames. Eventually, the girl known as Anna O'Malley had disappeared, and Penny hung around.

* * *

**A/N: Do your teeth hurt from the dialogue yet? I found it syrupy-sweet and corny, but I don't mind it at all. :) I think this chapter could have been stronger, but I needed to develop the relationship between Skittery and Anna/Penny (and yes, she is, in fact, an extension of myself.)... next, expect some Crutchy action! He just doesn't get enough love. Now, see that pretty little purple button down there? It's magical. Good things will happen to you if you click it. -Layne**


	4. Chapter 4

Crutchy sighed. It was early afternoon, and while he'd been selling for several hours already, Elise still hadn't emerged from the lodging house. This worried him, so he decided that since he'd sold over half of his papers at this point, he was worthy of a break. He headed toward the lodging house like a man on a mission... okay, well, he didn't really have a mission, but Crutchy always liked the phrase.

As he entered the dormitory, Elise was nowhere to be seen. The boy turned, ready to bolt down the stairs, crutch and all, when he heard the sound of gagging from the lavatory.

His heart sank. That sound was becoming increasingly common. Crutchy had a young mother at one point; he knew what that sound meant. He prayed to God he was wrong.

Standing by the window, he waited. Five minutes. Ten. Finally, Elise staggered out, sobbing, whispering to herself, "No, no, no..."

He watched her for a moment, then decided to step gallantly into her life, the valiant Prince Charming, to rescue her. His crutch landed on a playing card left haphazardly on the floor and, as he tumbled to the ground, he knew his goal of bravery had been defeated.

Elise spun around, white as a ghost, half from surprise and half from illness. "Crutchy!" Her hand fluttered over her heart in that common gesture girls often use to calm themselves. Crutchy flashed her his most charming grin, and laughed.

"Sorry. Kinda clumsy." Through years of practice, he managed to pull himself to his feet with very little difficulty. "You okay, Elise?"

She wiped her tears on the sleeve of her nightshirt and nodded. "Yes, I... um, just a touch of the flu, I suppose." Elise sniffled and turned away, busying herself with straightening her bunk. "I'm fine... shouldn't you be out selling your... papes?"

Crutchy couldn't help but smile a little at her homage to the newsies' dialect. "I just came by to see you were okay."

"I am."

"Elise."

She turned to see that his smile had faded, the lighthearted sparkle had left his eye. She sighed. "It's been over a month since I... ugh, I can't talk about this with you." Elise collapsed into her bunk, folding into herself and trying not to cry. "It's not what you think. It's not what I think. It can't be, it can't happen to me."

"Past couple'a weeks you been sleepin' in late. You wake up, you're sick. You look hungry, but you won't eat." He leaned his crutch against the wall and lay down beside her, wrapping an arm around her. "It ain't fair, it ain't _right_, but it _is_ what you think. I'm pretty sure." Taking in a deep breath, he looked into her deep blue eyes. "Look, Elise, I..." He shook his head. "You'll be alright. I can promise you that."

Her eyes swam. "I _won't_. I've got no money, no job, no husband. Hell, it won't even have a fath--" She cut herself off, her cheeks blazing in a combination of anger towards the brute responsible and embarrassment that she'd cursed. "_I_ don't even have a family anymore. I'm still a child myself, how can I raise one of my own?"

Crutchy just looked at her, having a million things to say but no words to say them with. She did so have a family here, with blood in Penny, with bond in the newsies. She had a hundred hands waiting here to help her out, a hundred hands willing to help her even with a baby. And what's more, that baby could have a father, maybe in him...

He sighed. The thought was almost laughable.

* * *

Crutchy was plagued for days by the thought of Elise and her baby. He stayed as close to her as he could, keeping an eye on her, being the friend she needed. He knew, every day, when he looked into her eyes, when he held her hair for her when she was sick, that he loved her – despite, or perhaps for, her unstable state of mind and body.

But something in his gut told him that's just how it was going to stay, with him being the sweet, lovable friend. Just _friend_.

He'd finally broken and told Jack one night as they stood on the fire escape. Crutchy knew that Jack, being forever the brains of the operation, would know exactly how to solve the problem. They looked from the window, over the heated poker game, across the room to where Elise and Penny were talking quietly in their bunks.

"Pregnant."

"Yeah. Looks like it... I mean, from all the things me mum..." Crutchy sighed, looked over the dusty streets below. The boys rarely discussed their parents. "Sick in the morning, all that stuff."

"Pregnant." Jack blinked, turning the thought over in his mind.

"That's what I said."

"As in, with a baby."

The fearless leader leaned back against the bricks, taking a long, contemplative drag from his cigarette. He closed his eyes and blew the smoke out slowly, dramatically. "Let's go back inside." He stubbed his cigarette out with his boot, and walked back into the dormitory, Crutchy following.

Jack walked over and took Elise by the hand, leading her out to the fire escape. Crutchy's eyes followed them closely... Brave, heroic Jack, always prepared to help a damsel in distress and save the fair maiden from certain doom.

Crutchy laid down on his bunk and sighed. "I could do that," he mumbled to no one in particular, and turned to the wall.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks bundles to my two - count 'em, TWO! reviewers, I love you both! Hope everyone liked this chapter, I feel much better about it than I did the last one. Anyhow, please R&R, and I shall hope to have a new chapter up preeeetty soon... with something far more interesting than the lodging house! I love youse guys! MUAH! -Layne**


	5. Chapter 5

Late that night, Crutchy sat with Elise in front of the fireplace, listening to the story of how she ended up in New York and in her current... _condition_. The tale was sad, brutal, something that should never happen to a human being, especially someone as sweet and perfect as Elise. He blinked back tears he wouldn't allow her to see, wanted to take her hand, to hold her, but had a strange, sinking feeling that she belonged to Jack now.

"What's his name?" Crutchy asked, his voice void of any emotion now. He was numb after hearing her story, after realizing how much he liked her, and not being able to do a damn thing about it.

"McKenna, McKennon, something like that. I don't know." She sighed, buried her face in her hands. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Jack says he can get me a job at that cafe, and I guess that'll help, but once this... progresses... unwed girls _don't_ have babies."

"You got Jack. He'll take care of you. I bet he'd marry ya, if it came down to it." Brooding brown eyes turned to the fire, hoping the reflection of the flames would hide the disappointment. _I _know_ I'd step up if you needed me._

"Jack... he's a good boy. I bet he would. But he wouldn't _want_ me, and I don't want pity. No one will want me once... you know... I'm, what'dya call it... _damaged goods_."

"That's bullshit, Elise. You're a catch."

* * *

The morning sun brought with it a ruthless summer heat. It was barely an hour the newsies were out selling, and already they could feel the sweat rolling slowly down their backs. It'd be nearly unbearable by the end of the day, but such was a working boy's life in New York.

Well, a working _girl's_ too now, but not in the way most people would think.

Penny was out selling with Skittery, learning the tricks of the trade. Most girls would find themselves disgusted by the thought of spending a day in the sun with a sweating, swearing, shouting boy, but she found it exciting. The way the boys could twist the most mundane headline into something readable was utterly fascinating. She loved watching the little crowds gather around the upheld pape, the wink Skittery would shoot her when he hooked someone. The wink was the best part; it gave her butterflies in her stomach, which she found she didn't mind at all.

Skittery let her try her hand at selling papers, which definitely could have gone better: a headline about two drunks brawling in a bar over the _other_ kind of working girl turned into one about a love triangle resulting in a bloody, brutal beatdown – alliteration and all. People felt so bad for her that two actually gave her nickels for her papers just to shut her up. She glared as Skittery doubled over laughing.

"At least I made ten cents," she grumbled indignantly, handing the chortling newsboy his papers. All he did was smile. That smile could make your knees go out under you. Completely destroyed the nerves.

Penny grinned as he stepped to her, arms open as if for a hug, then yelped as he hoisted her up and tossed her over his shoulder. "SKITTERY!" she shrieked, failing terribly at hiding her glee. "What are you doing!"

"'_Find a penny, pick it up; all day long you'll have good luck!_'" He recited the verse in falsetto, laughing as he walked down the street. "We're going to lunch."

Penny was prepared to kick and protest until she realized that behind the butterflies, there was some serious hunger stirring up. She'd been too tired to eat anything for breakfast, so this would be the first time she'd eaten all day.

"Find yourself a prize, Skitts?" A joking voice joined them on their journey to Tibby's, talking in good humor with Skittery for a few seconds then falling back a couple steps to whisper. "Don't think I can't see you staring, Penny."

_Busted_. Penny lifted her eyes from where they were inconspicuously (or, at least, so she thought) examining Skittery's derriere, and landed on a smirking face with glasses and a beat-up bowler. "Hi, Specs," she said with a sheepishgrin and a rather deep blush.

Inside the cafe, it wasn't quite as hot as it was outside, but one certainly could not call it _cool_. The fans spinning overhead created a small breeze, but the heat from the kitchen permeated the whole place and mixed with the summer heat; one didn't even need to mention the fact that it smelled like onions as well.

That last part made it especially difficult for Elise. But since the owner had given her a job right off, she knew she had to brave the odor and the heat whether she liked it or not. Hell, she could handle seasickness, why not morning sickness? She was tough. She was Irish.

"You gonna eat?" Jack poked her in the shoulder, breaking her train of thought, then pointed to the plate of food in front of her.

"Huh?" Elise looked down at the plate, her stomach doing some sort of flip between nausea and hunger. "Oh, I..."

"Don't even try to tell us you're not hungry," a curly-haired boy named Mush piped up. "You ain't eaten all day."

"Yeah, but..."

"You ain't starvin' ya'self on our watch," added a boy with an eye patch. Elise couldn't really remember his name. Boy Wink? Something like that. Whatever. She opened her mouth to protest, when Crutchy came up and shoved a biscuit in her mouth.

"Eat." He smiled as she grumbled around the bread... she was just so cute. He must have kept his eyes on her a little too long, because Jack's elbow found its way to his ribs.

_He likes her,_ Jack thought, arching an eyebrow at his friend, _but she don't need this right now._

_Possessive bastard,_ Crutchy thought, plopping down into a chair and sulking. _She's my friend too, ya know._

As Skittery and Penny joined them at the table, the Tibby herself shuffled over. "She staying with you boys, too?" The plump, gray-haired woman smiled sweetly at Penny when nods answered her question. "I am a little short-handed, if you'd be wanting a job as well, my dear."

Penny grinned and nodded. "That would be wonderful, ma'am, I'd love to."

"Very well then, I'll be seeing you girls tomorrow morning. The usual, Skittery?" Skittery nodded his affirmation, and looked at Penny.

"Same for her, too."

Penny looked at him quizzically, wondering if she'd want to eat the same things a teenage boy did. "Fish and chips," he reassured her, and she smiled gratefully.

* * *

The next morning, the girls were up, scrubbed, and listening to Jack lecture them like some sort of drill sargeant. They were not to walk to work by themselves, not to walk home by themselves, and steer as clear as they could of any suspicious persons. They nodded, and were escorted to the cafe by Pie Eater and What's-His-Face-with-the-Eyepatch, as Elise had affectionately dubbed him.

"Kid Blink," Penny muttered in her cousin's ear as they walked to the restaurant. "That's his name." Elise smirked and nodded, then when the boys turned around, greeted them with a bat of her lashes and sweet little giggle.

Pie Eater reddened a little and smiled back at her, and Blink rolled his eyes. Eye? Eyes? Ah, well.

"Girls," Blink muttered, shaking his head. When Pie Eater continued with his stupid grin, his friend punched him in the arm, probably a little harder than necessary. "She's Jack's. You know that." The taller boy nodded and suddenly became very interested in his boots.

As they reached the restaurant, the boys bid them goodbye and told them to wait after they got off work for someone to come get them. Penny and Elise nodded, already a little bit tired of the routine, and headed into the cafe, ready to start earning their keep.


	6. Chapter 6

Waitressing had been harder than either of the girls had expected. The trays of food were heavy, and when the dinner hour rolled around and men had drinks with their meals, they tended to get a little rambunctious and crude. Both of the girls were quite relieved when their shift finally ended.

Jack had taken Elise to the pharmacy to look for a remedy to her nausea, which left Skittery and Penny strolling together. It had cooled considerably since the hour Penny took for her lunch break, and it was actually rather pleasant to walk home that evening. Listening to Skittery talk made for a lovely end to a stressful day.

"The headlines actually weren't so bad. I sold all my papes, even the afternoon edition. Didn't have no boneheads givin' me trouble at all today, neither, which was nice. I was gonna stop at Tibby's for lunch, but I just didn't have the time today... I ended up in Brooklyn at some point. Not sure how that happened." He laughed a little, turned to look at her amused but distracted face. "Anyhow, how was your day? Anything interesting happen in the life of a waitress?"

"Not really. Elise broke a dish," she shrugged, then smiled. "Tibby didn't seem to care though." Penny examined the streets of her new home, realizing she found them rather attractive. "Why is it that men get so _stupid_ when they drink?" She sighed. "My bum hurts a little from all the pinching."

Skittery let out a loud laugh. "Well, there goes my plans for the night." He laughed harder when Penny punched him weakly in the shoulder.

"Pop ain't gonna be happy we lost 'em," a voice carried from several paces behind them. Penny froze. "But they cant've gone far. The dark-haired one couldn't hardly even walk."

"Hell, who says the little tramps are even alive anymore?" The second voice broke into a familiar, hideous laugh, and the first one joined him.

Penny grabbed Skittery's hand and dragged him into an alley. Leaning against the wall, she pulled him into a deep kiss. He let out a soft moan of surprise before easing into it, leaning an arm against the wall behind her and placing his other hand on her hip. Her mouth was warm and sweet, and reminded him of something he was missing, but couldn't place his finger on. All apprehension about getting carried away hadstarted to slip out of his mind, and his hand began to toy with the bottom of her bodice.

She placed her hands firmly on his shoulders and pushed him away. "We need to get home." She straightened herself and dusted her skirt off, glancing nervously toward the street.

Skittery stared blankly at her for a moment, his brown eyes clouded with confusion and arousal. He wanted to say something, but his tongue was thick in his mouth and the words just weren't coming.

* * *

That night at the lodging house, Penny and Elise sat at the window and talked in hushed, nervous tones. The boys, with the exception of the younger newsies, were enveloped in a poker game, but Skittery and Crutchy only pretended to play as they spoke quietly behind their cards.

"She kissed me."

"Kissed you? What the hell would she wanna do that for?" Crutchy laughed, elbowing Skittery playfully in the side.

"It wasn't like anything was happenin', we was just walkin' home from Tibby's and alla sudden she just pulls me into this alley and starts kissin' on me. Then, just as quick as it happened, she stops and says we have to get home."

"Weird."

"You're tellin' me."

* * *

**A/N: Hmm... not quite sure how I feel about this. Shorter than I would've liked, but my other fic was calling me. What do you guys think about it? I need some serious feedback on this. Please R&R! -Layne**


	7. Chapter 7

"So, you hear that Penny kissed Skittery?" Crutchy said as he sat on the fire escape with Elise, taking in the early evening's cool breeze. "He's all worked up about it, tryin' ta figger out what to do with hisself." He laughed a little, shaking his head. "You think there's somethin' to it?"

"No." Elise sighed, rolling her eyes. "Well, maybe. She told me why she kissed him. She was adamant that it was to avoid something, but now that I think about it, maybe she's just kidding herself." She shrugged, laughing a little. "There are some real sparks between those two, aren't there?"

Crutchy just looked at her, her skin lovely in the red glow of the sunset, and smiled.

* * *

Weeks had passed since the infamous Skittery-Penny kiss, and still nothing had come of it. The girls lay in their beds, lounging late as it was their day off. Penny was relaying stories to her cousin of Skittery's antics the day before, going into ridiculous detail of the most mundane things.

"You _looove_ him," Elise cooed, tossing a pillow at her best friend. As Penny fumbled for words of protest, Elise just laughed. "You do, and you cannot deny it, my dear."

Penny shook her head and got up, heading downstairs to join the boys gathered in the common room.

Elise had taken it upon herself to keep the lodging house in order – she found it necessary to clean up after all the boys, even making their beds on occasion. As she set about tidying up the dormitory, Crutchy came upstairs to see her silhouetted against the harsh light of the window.

Distinct features couldn't be made out, but her figure was one to be marveled, even now. She'd filled out wonderfully – her dress seemed a little tight as her chest had grown, and her stomach had just barely begun to poke out. It was beautiful.

Thankfully, she hadn't noticed him staring, but her turning to make another bed broke his trance. He took a few steps into the room.

"You're gonna hate me for sayin' this, Elise, but I gotta... motherhood really does suit you."

She straightened, turning around and smiling. "You startled me," she said with a laugh, then shrugged. "Thank you, though... I don't hate you for saying it." Her smile wavered a little bit, but she shook her head. "Really."

"I got somethin' for you." Crutchy made his way over to his trunk, glancing around the room to make sure no one saw. "You ain't allowed to laugh at me for keepin' this."

"Crutchy, why would I laugh at you?"

He pulled out a lumpy blue bundle, and handed it to her. "'Course, I dunno if this is the right color, but this was mine when I was a baby, an' I figgered you'd need it."

Elise looked over the bundle, untied it, and watched it unroll into a baby's blanket. Her eyes filled with tears as she spread it out on her bed, and she threw her arms around Crutchy's neck. He laid a hand on her back and laughed nervously.

"C'mon now, don't go to pieces on me or nothin'." Elise laughed and planted a big, wet kiss on his lips. She pulled away, shaking with a combination of sobs and laughter.

"Thank you so much, Crutchy."

* * *

**A/N: Before I hear anything about the length of this chapter... I wanted it to be short and sweet. And that's what it was. Ridiculously short and cavity-inducing sweet. But if you look closely, you'll see that it's a pivotal moment in the relationship between Crutchy and Elise. **

**Next chapter (or maybe the one after that... I'll just keep you guessing!) you will see exactly WHY Penny had to "distract" Skittery. If you haven't figured it out already, anyway. Sooo enough with the spoilers.**

**I would like to extend a big warm mushy hug to my faithful reviewer. I reviewed one of her stories and she replied saying that she was a fan of mine and that my opinion meant something. I very nearly cried. I HAVE A FAN. Darling, you have no idea how much that means to me. -gives you Spot on a platter with a cherry on top- Yes, Spot. Maybe next time it'll be Racetrack. :)**

**So. Please R&R. I love reviews. -Layne**


	8. Chapter 8

Autumn was fast approaching and the air was finally starting to cool. It was finally tolerable to stand outside for a few minutes, just to catch your breath and appreciate your surroundings.

This was precisely what Elise and Penny were doing as they took their lunch break on a particularly lovely afternoon. They stood in the alleyway behind Tibby's, breathing in fresh air that didn't smell of onions or sweaty, dirty man. The air was sweet and clean, with that slightly burnt smell that always accompanies the transition from summer to fall. The leaves were just beginning to change, and it made a lovely contrast to the dirty brick of the buildings.

"New York isn't so bad," Penny mused, taking a long drink from the glass of water in her hand.

"It doesn't hold a candle to home," sighed Elise, placing a hand absently on her massively protruding stomach. She wore the baggiest clothes she could scrounge up, mostly hand-me-downs from Tibby, but at seven months, it was nearly impossible to hide her predicament. "It isn't nearly as hot in Dublin as it is here."

"Truer words have never been said." The redhead laughed, and handed Elise half an apple. "But I rather like it here."

Elise shrugged and bit into the fruit that would serve as her lunch. "I suppose I do, too."

"You hear that, Frankie?" A rough voice with a thick Irish accent interrupted the girls as two young men stepped into the alleyway. "Our little darlings like their new home."

The taller of the two positioned himself in front of Elise, looking her over with beady black eyes. "Looks to me like someone's gotten herself in a wee bit o' trouble, Kenny." He placed a large, dirty hand on her belly, grinning a slightly rotten smile. "This couldn't _possibly_ be my doing, could it?"

Elise backed up a couple steps until her back hit the brick wall behind her. She crossed her arms over her stomach, trying to make herself as small as she could and failing rather miserably in her current state.

"Frankie, I don't think they're taking too kindly to us." The shorter boy stepped up to Penny, rubbing a grimy, calloused hand over her cheek. "Haven't you missed me?" He pressed dry lips to hers, his scruffy facial hair scratching her face. "I've missed you." As Penny struggled to push him away from her, he just laughed and grabbed onto her skirt, pulling it up. "And I've missed this."

Frankie smirked. "You two... or is it three?" He winked at Elise, still smiling with those decaying teeth showing. "You've done a good job of hidin' from us. But we've got to take you back where you belong now. We've struck a deal with a man who runs an... _establishment_, so the pair of you will be goin' to work for him." He cleared his throat. "'Course, you won't be of much use to 'im for a while, bein' in that family way as you are, but I imagine you'll fetch a pretty penny soon as you pop."

As the younger boy was still fighting with Penny to hitch her skirt up higher, his brother just laughed. "Come on, darlin'," Kenny said with a malicious grin. "Don't fight it, this is what you were made for."

"Girls, I believe I told you that you had thirty minutes for your lunch break and you've been gone nearlyforty-five..." The back door to the restaurant opened, and Tibby stepped out, red-faced as usualand carrying a frying pan. "Hey!" She yelled, raising the pan up. "What is goin' on out here?" Before Kenny could even turn around, the frying pan came in hard contact with the back of his head, knocking him to the ground.

"Oi, lady!" The young Irishman growled as hestaggered to his feet, fire burning in his eyes and his cheeks. "This is none of your business."

"Oh, I beg to differ." She shook the frying pan at the two boys, stalking them down the alley. "This is my restaurant, and these are my girls, and that makes this _my business_." As she swung the pan at Frankie's shoulder, she snarled. "I don't want to be seein' your faces around here again, are we clear?"

The boys ran off, and Tibby turned to Penny and Elise. "What in the hell was that allabout?" As the two girls just stared back at her in horror and relief, she shook her head. "Jack and the boys are inside havin' a meal. I'll have them take the two o' you home, and you can rest."

* * *

"I'm startin' to think you two are more trouble than you're worth." Jack paced back and forthin the dormitory back at the lodging house, fuming. "You got me worryin' about whether me boys is decent when they get up in the mornin', I gotta watch out for you when you're workin, and that's cuttin' into my own work..." He sighed and shook his head. "And what're we gonna do when that baby of yours comes, Elise? Nobody here knows how to take care of a baby." 

"Jack, we got time to figger this out," Skittery offered, sitting down on a bunk and examining Penny and Elise.

"Yeah, but in the meantime, what're we gonna do? What about these Frankie and Kenny characters? What're we gonna do if and when we run into them?"

"I think Tibby scared 'em off pretty good," Crutchy jumped in, hoping his two cents would be worth something. "I don't think we'll be seein' much of them for a while."

"That's the thing, Crutchy. What if we do?" Jack pulled his hat off, running a hand through his messy hair. "They're puttin' my newsies in danger, and I don't know if I can stand by and let that happen."

* * *

**A/N: I'm baaaack! Sorry it took so long. I've been working on graduating high school and moving on to college and whatnot so my life has been busybusybusy and hectic! But here I am, alive and well, and with a brand spanking new chapter! And perhaps, if you're lucky, I'll turn out another one soon. I do have another fic I've forgotten, though, which I do have to work on and you must must MUST check out! Oh, and much love to my faithful reviewer, who sent me a long PM telling me how important it was for me to come back. Thank you, dahling. Anyway, please R&R and enjoy! -Layne**


	9. Chapter 9

Morning broke, slow and cool, to find Penny and Skittery perched on the rooftop of the lodging house, overlooking the dirty Manhattan streets. It was silent in these early hours but for the odd bird and occasional swish of a broom as the shopkeepers prepared to open for the day. The teenagers had been up the entire night discussing the previous day's events and the repercussions rapidly heading their way.

"Jack wants Elise and me to move to Brooklyn," Penny said for the hundredth time with a sigh.

"Well, there's a girls' lodgin' house there... Those McKennon fellas'll be hard-pressed to get in there after you." Skittery's head hung limply between his shoulders, partly from physical exhaustion and partly from emotional. "They'll be good to ya in Brooklyn, though."

"I don't know anyone in Brooklyn... just that one boy, what's his name... Speck."

"Spot. Spot Conlon."

"Sure, whatever. And he just seems to be a shorter, pushier, more arrogant version of Jack."

"That's why he's the leader in that borough." Skittery sighed, feeling as though the topic had been beaten into the ground. "There's lots of Irish immigrants in Brooklyn, anyway. You'll feel more at home."

"I already feel at home here."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't seem to be Jack's concern anymore." He raised his head, weary brown eyes meeting fiery green. "Look, Penny, there ain't much I or anybody else can do to change things. Once the Cowboy's made up his mind about somethin', there's no lookin' back."

"What about work? We can't go tromping around the streets selling papers, and there's no possible way we could walk back and forth between Manhattan and Brooklyn every day, especially not Elise." Penny scrubbed her hands roughly over her face, grumbling through them with fatigue and temper. "We can't afford to stay in the lodging house without working, and Elise is going to be laid up pretty soon here..." She trailed off, shaking her head at the thought.

"Miz Tibby said she's got a friend what owns a clothing place... needs some girls to sew and whatnot, and she's willin' to hire the two o' you."

"I want to go home." Her voice came out in a temperamental whine, reminiscent of a small child.

"Everything'll turn out okay."

"Bollocks." As she spat out the word, she stood up and stormed down the fire escape, leaving Skittery to ponder his own place in the messy knot of trouble he'd gotten himself into.

* * *

The day passed at a turtle's pace, with the smelly, sticky heat of summer futilely battling the bite of the fast-approaching autumn. The weather induced a kind of lethargy in anyone who dared to step foot outside their front door, and so the newsboys sold their papers as quickly as they could manage, hoping to get back to the lodging house for a little late-afternoon shut-eye. Even the unstoppable Racetrack was spent after a half-hearted trip out to Sheepshead Bay, and was now lazily shuffling cards in his bunk as he stood sentry over Penny and Elise while Jack was meeting with Spot Conlon.

"Brooklyn ain't nothin' like Manhattan," he mused gruffly, half to himself and half to the girls sitting in the next bunk over. "It's rougher an' tougher an' it smells like fish all'a time... but I bet you'll like it there. And I don't bet on nothin' that ain't a sure thing."

"It's not home, and we don't know anybody there." Penny stabbed her needle bad-temperedly through the shirt she was mending, taking out her frustrations on the available fabric. "What's to like?"

"Hey, those fellas always take care of their own," Racetrack replied, chewing on the end of an unlit cigar, "even if it is a couple'a sour-puss dames like ya'selves."

Penny scoffed at the remark, and simply stuck her tongue out at him before returning to her sewing.

"That's exactly what I'm talkin' about." And with a grin, he dealt himself a hand of solitaire.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is far shorter than I originally intended, but I decided to end it with Racetrack being a smartass, and it feels more complete that way. The rest of my intended goings-on will have to appear in the next chapter. It seems like a big development from the last chapter, but Jack was just talking too much and was beginning to get on my nerves so I had to shut him up and get back to my beloved main characters. Expect more drama and whatnot in the next chapter (and someone PLEASE tell me to stop using the word "whatnot" _PLEASE_!). Also, I could use a few rough-and-tumble female OCs for the Brooklyn lady-newsies, if you should feel so inclined to loan me some, if not, I can make a few up. They won't be particularly significant, but they'll be there to provide some comic relief and, for some, to be antagonists. Anyhow, R&R, thanks in advance! -Layne**


	10. Chapter 10

"Jack, what exactly are we supposed to do in Brooklyn?" Elise said with a pout, as she attempted to make herself comfortable on a bunk. That was no easy task lately, with her all-too-conspicuous abdomen threatening to take over the world.

"Hell, Elise, I don't know." Jack scrubbed his hands over his face, shaking his head in exasperation. "Work, make friends, play nice with the other girls that live there."

"We don't know anyone there."

"Which is why part of your job is to _make friends_."

"My newsies're all pretty good about lettin' new folks in," offered a boy who was small in stature but big in attitude. "A few of 'em might be a little standoffish, but once they get to know ya, they're okay."

"The thing is, Spit," Penny began.

"Spot."

"The thing is, _Spot_," she rolled her eyes and then continued, "we have a home here. We have friends here, we almost have a family. We have people who take care of us and people to take care of. And now we're being suddenly uprooted."

"There's nothin' more we can do for ya here, Penny," Jack sighed and lifted his hands defensively when Penny turned fiery eyes on him. "We ain't got room for you, and we sure as hell don't got room for a baby. 'Sides, what're you gonna do when that baby gets here, anyways? None of us knows how to raise a kid, much less deal with one."

"And I suppose, what with there being _girls_ in Brooklyn and all, they'll automatically know more about it?"

"No," Spot interjected, trying to be as helpful as he could in such a delicate situation. "Guy that runs the place's got a wife, an' a couple'a kids. We had a girl once who was in Elise's _sitch-ee-a-shun_, an' the missus was real helpful 'fore the girl moved on."

"Lovely." Elise pushed her hair back from her face, stress showing unmistakably in her eyes. "And what of the questions people will ask?"

"Newsies don't ask questions." Jack and Spot looked at one another, shaking their heads.

"_Everyone_ asks questions. An unmarried girl with a baby? It's going to pique someone's interest. Who's the father, how can you stand to show your face in public, et cetera, et cetera." The dark-haired girl stared expectantly into Jack's face, which was unsettling even for the unshakable leader of Manhattan.

"Well... uh," Jack bit his lip, staring up at the ceiling in thought. "If anybody asks, you're my girl, that's my kid." This statement drew astonished stares from the small group in the room. "And if anybody says otherwise, they got me to answer to. So, okay? You're _my_ girl."

"Okay, Jack."

Crutchy hobbled up the stairs, carrying a flower in his free hand. His intentions of giving it to Elise, however, were quickly shattered as he caught the tail end of the conversation through the closed door; as his smile faded, he decided he'd be better off in the common room downstairs.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is really short, I know, but I think making it longer for the purpose of taking up space would be a bad idea. I think it needed to be short. I bet you thought that the Jack/Elise/Crutchy storyline was dead and gone, but HA! You were wrong, my friends! It's baaaack! And with a vengeance! Ahahahaha. This should be _eeen_teresting. I feel like a mad scientist, and I'm not entirely sure why. Anyway, off I go to write another chapter, either for this fic or my other one (whichyoumostdefinitelyshouldreadRIGHTNOW)... please R&R, and enjoy! -Layne**


	11. Chapter 11

"So you're Jack Kelly's girl, huh?" A newsie with cold gray eyes and frizzy dirty-blonde hair looked Elise over, her eyes lingering on the all-too-obvious protrusion of her belly. "Lucky you."

"That Jack, he's a real decent guy..." A dreamy-eyed brunette by the washtub sighed, causing Meanie McBitch, as Elise had decided her name was, to scoff and shake her head.

"Yeah, Whim." Whim. What an apt name for a girl who looked so whimsical as she. "So decent that he plants a baby in a girl and hocks her off to Spot Conlon. A real stand-up kinda guy, Mr. Kelly."

"Catch, you'se just sore 'cuz he kicked you to the curb after you pulled that stunt with Racetrack." And with that, Whim went back to scrubbing the sheets in the washtub.

"So, uh, why do they call you Catch?" Penny asked, desperate to make a friend in this new place.

"'Cuz the fellas 'round here think I am one," Catch rolled her eyes as if it were completely obvious, but, try as she might, Penny just couldn't see it. "Look, Ireland, don't expect us all to be your chums or whatever. You gotta work for your place in the ranks, and right now, you're at the bottom of the bin." Again, she flicked those steely eyes toward Elise. "And you gotta earn your keep around here no matter who you are, so don't think we'll be goin' easy on ya just 'cuz you'se in a family way."

"Catch, what'd I tell ya about playin' nice with the new girls?" Though his frame was small, Spot Conlon seemed to fill the doorway.

"I don't play nice with nobody, Spot," Catch spat back, taking purposeful strides towards the doorway. "'Specially not a couple'a high-an'-mighty Micks like them." She shot an icy glare over her shoulder as she shoved past Spot and stomped down the stairs.

"Catch," Spot sighed with an exasperated shake of the head. "Girl thinks she owns Brooklyn, nobody can touch her. All she needs is a good shiner to put 'er in her place." An easy grin broke over his face, spreading to all the other girls in the room. Spot Conlon, not unlike Jack, was comparable to the most addictive of drugs. "So, _Ireland,_ is it?"

"That seems to be our collective name," Penny cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Well then, Ireland, those're your bunks over there," he pointed to a rather dilapidated set of beds shoved into the far corner of the room. "I know they're kinda shabby, but it's all we got open for now." His eyes wandered to Elise, and he seemed to chew over a thought for a few moments. "Uh... if there's any problem for Mama here," he said with a smile, "you let me know an' I'll see what I can do ta fix it." He looked around the dormitory, at the girls who occupied it, and raised his voice slightly. "You all'd better be headin' to bed soon, a little bird tol' me there was a big brawl in Central Park today. Get ready to work extra hard tomorrow."

As the girls settled down with the waning daylight, Penny and Elise slowly began to come to terms with their new home.

* * *

Or perhaps not. It was barely even dawn, and there were girls bustling about the dormitory and making an ungodly racket. Not a second went by that a crash wasn't heard, a toilet wasn't flushed, and arguments heated up.

A walking stick collided with the bedpost of Penny and Elise's bunks, making a loud and ultimately unpleasant cracking noise. "Wake up, Ireland." Catch's thick accent, rough with sleep, stirred them from any fleeting hopes of sleep. "It's a big day, an' a helluva walk to the dressmaker's from here."

If this was when and how every day was going to begin, it seemed Brooklyn would prove to be a very rocky, unpleasant ride.

* * *

**A/N: Ugh. Okay, this chapter ended up being waaaaay shorter than my original intention. I had hoped for a big, whoppin' chapter, at least twice as long as this one, but apparently it just wasn't happening for me. I guess the tale of the dressmaker was tailored (ha, ha) for another day. I hope y'all liked this itsy-bitsy chapter anyway, and I mean you'd BETTER FREAKING LIKE IT because I risked getting eaten alive by a big, giant, ultra-scaryspider that was on my wall to write this story. I refused to budge! And so here you have it. I'm seriously disgusted with this chapter length, but there isn't a whole lot my writing genius will allow me to do about it. And yes, I am unnaturally cocky. I like it that way. Anyhow, you know the drill, R&R, have fun. I love you guys! -Layne**


	12. Chapter 12

The inside of the dressmaker's shop was sweltering hot, despite the crisp early-autumn air outside. Eight or so women crowded the back rooms, sewing dresses, making lace, performing other odd jobs, while three or four were in the front dealing with customers. Penny and Elise sat with the owner in the office in the back, listening to her talk mostly to herself rather than them.

"Don't see why I told Tibby I'd take on two extra workers... got quite a few already..." Mary Elizabeth Green was a husky woman, with a voice to match, her ample frame a little more than formidable. But she had the kindest blue eyes you'd ever see. Those eyes looked over Elise, trying to feign disdain, but leaned more toward sympathy. "I got a girl same age as the two o' you. Was knocked-up with her, same situation as you, no man to stick around an' speak for me." She smiled a little, shaking her head. "'Course, with you bein' in such a fam'ly way, can't have you up front just yet. You got any special talents?"

Elise blushed a little, embarrassed to have to finally speak. "Erm... my mam, she taught me to make lace. I'm not so bad at it."

"Actually, she's really quite good," Penny chimed in, putting on her most winning smile. "She helped her sister make her wedding dress." And when she realized what she'd just said, her smile faltered.

"Well, I could use another lace maker. The girls I got ain't so great at it, maybe you could teach 'em a thing or two. Maybe boost my business a little." Those blue eyes grazed over Penny now. "You, you're awful pretty. You any good with people?"

"I suppose so..."

"Yes or no."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well then, I could put you up front, and you can deal with the customers. That accent o' yours'll make 'em smile. We can put Gladys in the back to work on designin' things like she's always harpin' about." She turned to her books, clicking her tongue against her teeth as she pondered. "I can't pay you real big wages right off, but it'll be enough to keep a roof over your heads and food in your bellies. That's all I can offer for now, but you work hard enough and long enough, I'll see about raises."

"We'll take whatever you can give, ma'am." Penny smiled winningly again. "We're used to living modestly."

"What every employer wants to hear." The dressmaker leaned back in her chair with a smirk. "And please, cut it out with the 'ma'am' stuff. Makes me feel like a old lady. Call me Mary Elizabeth, or Mama Green if ya feel like it. That's what most my girls call me."

"Will do."

* * *

Elise found her new job to be easy enough. Given, she hadn't made lace in quite some time, but it wasn't all that hard for her to pick up again. The other girls assigned to it weren't anywhere near her level of expertise, but they weren't terrible, and with a little help and a lot of patience, they could be making high-quality lace in no time flat.

Penny's job was a little more difficult than she'd expected, at least on that first day. A woman came in midday, talking rapidly and loudly in German while waving a torn smock in her face. It was assumed she was complaining, but sometimes it's hard to tell with German.

"Ma'am, I'm afraid I can't understand you... No, ma'am, I... what? I don't speak German!" Penny tried to explain with hand motions as she talked, but she only seemed to succeed in further infuriating the woman. Her attempt at kindness and understanding was answered by a slew of what were presumably curses spat into her face, and was about to crawl under the counter and cry when a pretty young girl named Helga came to her rescue. Helga talked soothingly to the woman in German, then turned to Penny with a sweet smile.

"She says the material is cheap, and itripped the first time she put it on. She says either to fix it or to take it back and give her back her money."

Penny walked back to the office, and fretfully explained the predicament to Mary Elizabeth.

"Tell 'er we'll repair it at half-price, but that's the only deal she's gonna get. It's her fault she ordered the damn thing too small." Mary Elizabeth grumbled, looking through her records again. She glanced up at Penny, still standing in the doorway. "Somethin' else you need? I'm kinda busy here, girly."

"Uh..." Penny shifted uncomfortably. "Who should I have do the repair?"

The husky woman set her jaw, those motherly blue eyes rimmed with irritation. "Girl, you work for a dressmaker. You work here on account of you can _sew_. Repair it yourself. Now I got my own problems here, so get back to work."

She returned to the front of the shop, told Helga what Mary Elizabeth had said. The woman grumbled at length when Helga explained it to her, then tossed the smock onto the counter. "She says," Helga translated, "that you'd better do a decent job, she's no fool, and she knows shoddy work when she sees it. She says it'd better not rip again. She'll be back tomorrow to pick it up." Helga showed the woman out of the shop, looking over her shoulder sympathetically at Penny.

Penny slumped into a chair and, sulking, began to repair the tear in the smock.

* * *

The work hours were much longer than they were at Tibby's, and the girls had been working so hard, they'd forgotten completely about lunch. Their stomachs growled in protest as they headed out the front door.

"You ladies hungry?" A voice called to them as they turned to head for the lodging house. Spinning around, they saw two wonderfully familiar faces.

"Starving," they replied in unison, grinning as they were led in the opposite direction.

The restaurant they'd chosen was much cooler than the dressmaker's shop, and had a much more appealing atmosphere, filled with Brooklyn newsies and slightly intoxicated businessmen rather than tons of fabric and crazy women who didn't speak English.

"We figgered you'd be hungry after such a long day on the job," Skittery said, smiling in that easy, laid-back way that always made Penny melt a little... secretly. "Jeeze, you two look beat."

"Well, between not sleeping much last night, and getting up before bloody _dawn_, and working nearly twelve hours, yes, I'd say we're a wee bit on the tired side," Penny smirked, taking a bite of the cole slaw set in front of her.

Beside them, Crutchy and Elise were engaged in a secretive and apparently very amusing conversation over their plates. It made Penny smile, but apparently didn't please someone else in the restaurant. Catch sauntered up to the table, a malicious look set on her plain face.

"Ya know, Ireland, Jack Kelly don't like his girls to be keepin' company with other fellas," she said coldly. "'Specially not other _newsies_."

"Well, you'd know all about that, wouldn't ya, Catch?" Crutchy leaned back in his chair, his usual cheerful expression replaced with one that clearly said he was ready to fight. "'Sides, Elise here's allowed some friends. Now, we're a li'l busy here, but I'll tell Racetrack ya said hello, okay?" He smirked when embarrassed color burned across Catch's face. She turned and began to storm off, and Crutchy _accidentally_ slid his crutch in front of her ankle. As she went down, she cried out.

"Son of a _bitch_!" Catch picked herself up, now bright red and thoroughly pissed off. "You--"

"_Whoops_," Crutchy said, pulling his crutch up. "You'd better watch your step, there, Catch."

The restaurant erupted in laughter, leaving the two Manhattan newsies and their friends to sit and smile at one another over their meals, which now tasted even better.

It had turned out to be a very good day.

* * *

**A/N: Jeeze! Record-breaking chapter for pennylayne! My goodness! I didn't think I had it in me! Today's favorite literary tool is the exclamation point! Okay, well, enough of that. I figured we needed a chapter here without unhappy crap andangst and whatnot, so I decided their first day on the job would be pretty good... well, except for that irate German woman. But I rather liked her. Anyhow... it seemed that I was neglecting what this story was really about, so I had to bring it back around. Oh, I love Crutchy. His antics make me so happy. Um, well... oh! Exciting news! I have officially decided a gender and name for Elise's baby... that will be coming along soon, my lovelies, but you get no hints. Sorry. Now, if you would please R&R, I will love you forever, and if anyone! ANYONE! has a lady-newsie they'd like to loan me, I will personally serenade you with your choice of a Newsies number. In text, of course, but still with all the right inflection. Jeeze, this author's note is going to end up being longer than the chapter itself! That's not okay! So click that pretty purple button there, and leave me some love! Enjoy! -Layne**


	13. Chapter 13

**Special A/N: The character of "Sketch" was loaned to me ever so graciously by mushluver4ever, and is the sole property of her. All other original characters are my own creation, and all characters from Newsies are the sole property of Disney, and I hope they don't sue me. :)**

* * *

The awkward-looking foursome made the trek back to Brooklyn's lodging house in good spirits, giggling half the way about Catch's inability to catch herself. They were all so happy they hardly noticed their surroundings, and that it was nearly dark by the time they reached the doorstep of what Penny and Elise now called home.

As they paused at the stoop, a short, stocky girl who the girls knew as Sketch poked her head out the door. Smiling in greeting at Penny and Elise, she turned to Skittery and Crutchy. "Jack was here earlier," she said, "he was lookin' for the two o' you. Says Kloppmann ain't gonna be happy if you'se late for curfew again."

"Kloppmann's never been mad at nobody," Skittery replied, and grinned. "Thanks for the warnin', though, Sketch." And he spat in his palm, offering his hand out to her, and she did the same.

Penny grimaced and made a sound of disgust. "I never understood why you do that."

Crutchy laughed. "Pity you don't see our pal Davey around more often. You two'd get along just fine."

As Sketch went back inside, Elise looked around cautiously. Assured that the coast was clear, she leaned in close to Crutchy. "So, I'm dying to know, because everybody's been talking about it. What happened with Catch and Racetrack that was so bad?"

"See, funny thing," Crutchy said, leaning against the railing and putting on his story-telling face. "It wasn't that big of a deal at first, but Catch made it one. She was Jack's girl for a couple'a months there, but she was always makin' eyes at Racetrack and whatnot. Anyhow, one day she decides to just go for broke an' she kisses him, and Jack walks in and is about ta lay into Racetrack, but Racetrack hauls off an' just decks Catch, square in the kisser." He chuckled at his own joke. "She's been the laughin' stock of Manhattan ever since."

As Crutchy elaborated on the unfortunate (but hilarious) saga of Catch, Skittery led Penny away from the stoop, saying he needed to talk to her "in private."

"Is everything okay, Skittery?" Penny leaned against the cold brick wall, trying to read Skittery's face, which was half-hidden by dusk.

"Hmm? Yeah, yeah, everything's fine." Skittery laughed nervously, taking off his cap and scratching his head. "How're you doin' out here? You like Brooklyn okay?"

"I like it just fine. Well, except for Catch. But I'll get used to her." She smiled and shrugged, as if to remove the problem like a weight from her shoulders. "You didn't pull me away from Crutchy and Elise just to ask me if I like Brooklyn, did you?"

"Well, uh..." he removed his cap again, this time fussing with his hair, and replacing it. Penny thought it kind of defeated the purpose, but decided it best not to say anything. "No, not exactly," Skittery said, at length.

"So, what is it? What's going on?"

"See, Penny, the thing is... Ever since I... y'know, in the alley? Well, since then, when you came to the lodging house, I've had... I've felt... you know."

"No. I don't know, Skittery, because you aren't speaking in English." She laughed, and though she could barely see his face, she could see that he looked extremely uncomfortable. "Okay. All joking aside. Tell me what's going on."

"Um." Skittery swallowed, nervously and audibly. "What... what I was tryin' to say was, that since I met you, I've had... let's call it a _thing_. I've had a _thing_ for you."

"A _thing_." Penny just looked up, examined the moon, and grinned. "Okay."

"And so..." He looked around, making sure there were no curious newsies listening in. "So I was wondering, if you'd... be my girl?"

She exhaled like she'd just been hit with a sharp blow to the stomach. Standing silent for a few moments, Penny weighed the pros and cons of advancing their relationship. First off, she'd have protection no matter what, with newsies being loyal to their own and those connected, and she'd finally be able to admit to herself what she'd been denying since she'd met Skittery. But then there was the haunting possibility that the McKennon brothers would find out and drag him into this awful mess.

She sighed, closed her eyes. Skittery bit his lip, staring at her for a moment or two, then hung his headand turned to walk away. "Okay, then."

Penny opened her eyes, looking him over. "Yes."

* * *

Skittery and Crutchy walked home in the dark, indeed late for curfew, but between Skittery's victory with Penny and Crutchy seeing Elise laugh and smile again, whatever reprimand they would receive would be well worth it. The boys were both so exhausted, both so content that they didn't say a word to one another on the long walk home, and they were okay with that. They were on top of the world tonight.

But what they didn't know was that two pairs of eyes, staying hidden in the shadows, were watching, following them home.

They were just a few blocks over from Duane Street when those eyes stepped out to become bodies. When those bodies stepped into their path.

"Evenin', lads," said the taller boy, in a voice Skittery had never heard before but recognized immediately. "And where could the two o' you be headed, so late at night?"

"Home," Crutchy replied shortly, his elated happiness slowly deflating. The tall boy grinned at him, rotting teeth gleaming sickly yellow in the light of the street lamp.

"You looked pretty well at home with those lady-friends of yours back in Brooklyn." The shorter one finally spoke, smirking self-assuredly. "You'll tell them Frankie and Kenny miss them, won't ya?" As Skittery began to fume, he only chuckled. "Maybe we oughta pay them a little visit soon here."

Skittery balled his hand and raised it to swing, but the taller boy's fist was already in his face. He didn't feel the blow, but heard the sickly crunch as his nose broke and felt the warm gush of blood and tears. Through the blur in front of his eyes, he saw the shorter boy clock Crutchy cleanly in the jaw.

Swinging blindly, the two newsies lunged forward, going for the kill.

* * *

**A/N: OH SNAP! Hmm. I wonder what's going to happen. Well, _I_ know what's going to happen, but you'll have to wait to find out, won't you? Ha. Okay, anyway. I'm very proud of this chapter. I figured I'd go for broke and start out all mushy and cute and end with someone completely outta left field. Anyhow, I've had this chapter done for about four days, but that damned document manager wouldn't let me upload it. So I'm sorry for the wait. Anyway, I've got some more work to do. And a great big thanks to mushluver4ever! If anyone else has some ladie newsies they'd like to loan me, I will love you forever. So yeah. Please R&R, and enjoy! -Layne**


	14. Chapter 14

The shrill sound of a policeman's whistle bounced against the buildings in the otherwise silent night. It was accompanied by the fast, steadily approaching beat of horse hooves on cobblestone, causing all four of the boys to freeze mid-swing. Blood had been flying, and even as it pounded in their heads they could hear, smell, taste their impendingarrest.When Kenny and Frankie turned to look down the street for the direction of the sounds, Skittery and Crutchy made a run for it. They disappeared into the pitch-blackness of a back alley, with Skittery throwing his arm around Crutchy and dragging him along as fast as he could go.

* * *

When they finally reached the lodging house, Skittery collapsed against the bricks, holding his sides and panting. "Shit," he mustered, drawing a nod from Crutchy. Wiping blood from his face with the sleeve of his shirt, he nodded to the fire escape. "We're late."

"Gimme a hand up the fire escape, wouldja?" Crutchy rubbed at his jaw, then felt the inside of his mouth. "Damn. Son of a bitch knocked a tooth loose." And he shrugged, starting up the fire escape with his friend's assistance.

As Skittery helped Crutchy through the dormitory window, he watched everyone's faces go from angry to confused to concerned in a matter of seconds.

"Penny, Elise, dinner... walking home... McKennon... bulls," Crutchy said, hobbling across the room. "Tired." And he fell into his bunk without even bothering to undress.

Skittery, however, headed to the washroom to clean some of the blood off of himself. He was followed by Jack.

"So, those McKennon fellas did this to the two o' you?" Jack asked, receiving a nod from Skittery as he bent down to splash water on his face. "They follow you homefrom Brooklyn?"

"Seem to have. Don't know if they saw Penny and Elise go into the lodgin' house, though."

"An' what if they did?" Jack leaned a shoulder against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I have a feelin' the bulls got 'em. They'll be in the Refuge for a couple'a weeks, at least."

"What do the bulls have to hold 'em on, if they was just a couple'a beat-up guys standin' in the street?"

"Since when do the bulls have to have a reason to keep a kid in the Refuge?" Toweling his face off, Skittery winced as he touched his nose. "Shit. I think it's broken." After that, he pushed past Jack and went to bed.

* * *

"So, Ireland," Sketch, with Whim by her side, sidled up to Penny as she sat by the window, finishing the repair on the crazy German woman's smock. Penny looked up, a little confused as to why one of the Brooklyn newsies was talking to her. "Sorry, Penny, right? Okay. We're dyin' to know. What was you and Skittery talkin' about that was so secretive?"

"Oh, um," Penny set the smock down, moving her legs so the other two girls could sit down. "It was... Nothing. Not important," she said, though her blush gave her away.

"I bet I know what it was!" Whim piped up, her sweet, dreamy voice giving way to excitement. "He asked you to be his girl, didn't he?"

Penny felt her cheeks go even darker.

"Oh, my God!" Whim grinned, clapping her hands. Romance made her happy.

"Skittery, huh?" Sketch grinned when Penny nodded. "Well. Who'd'a thunk it."

A rough knock came to the door, and Spot Conlon stepped in. Short as he was, he emanated power as he raised his voice. "You girls're way too loud. An' it's well past your bedtime," he said, nodding in the direction of a group of younger girls. "The rest o' you oughta be gettin' to bed, too." And he grinned in Penny's direction, all-knowing, thanks to his "little birdies."

"Goodnight, Spot!" The little girls chirped as they clamored into their beds loudly. The fearless leader of Brooklyn nodded, then disappeared out the door.

"Well, goodnight, Penny," Sketch said, getting up and heading over to make sure the younger ones were all in bed.

Elise smiled at Penny from her bed as she came over and started looking through the drawer of the nightstand. "What're you looking for?"

"Candle," Penny replied, finding one and sticking it in the holder. "I've got to get this smock finished. I'll come to bed when I'm done. You go to sleep."

"Okay." And she did, very quickly, her hand resting compulsively on her stomach.

Penny sat in the girls' washroom, mending the smock and thinking to herself. She was a newsie's girl now, protected by any newsie in the city, and she knew she could very easily fall in love with Skittery. If she hadn't already. But she couldn't help but wonder if she'd made a good decision.

He could keep her safe, but could she do the same for him?

* * *

**A/N: I really, REALLY hate the document manager. I had this done at like, three this afternoon, and here it is, one-thirty in the damned morning, and I JUST NOW got it to upload. Rawr. Anyhow. I love this chapter... we get to see a little deeper into Penny, and find out the outcome of the big fight. I didn't want to do a huge fight scene. I think it's tasteless and boring. But now we have to wonder, are the McKennon brothers out of their hair for a while? Are they in the Refuge? Did they get away from the policeman? We'll find out soon enough, my lovelies. This chapter is really short, I know, but I don't care. So there. :) Anyhoo, thanks for reading, pleeeeeeease review, and enjoy! -Layne**

**P.S. I'm still looking for other female characters. There may or may not be a big part for them to play coming up here. I haven't decided. -Layne**


	15. Chapter 15

Penny and Elise sat on a bench overlooking the East River, savoring their lunch break. Clouds were moving in, and so the girls were relishing one of the last few days of sunshine before fall really set in. They were in mid-conversation about this topic when Jack popped up, sitting nonchalantly on the bench next to Elise.

"Well, hello, Jack," Penny said with a smile, biting into an apple. "What brings you to Brooklyn?"

Noticing the newsies walking back and forth through the street, Jack slid an arm around Elise's shoulders for appearance, but his face was anything but friendly. "Look, I sent you girls over here to keep trouble outta my lodgin' house. But all you're doin' is bringin' more in." He spoke softly, not wanting anyone around to hear him. "I can't have my boys bein' beat up in the streets and nearly carted off to the Refuge on account'a you."

"Jack, this isn't our fault," Elise said, raising sad, shy eyes to him. "It's not like we asked for this."

"Skitts and Crutchy would jump in front of a damn train for you two, an' it ain't a good thing." He leaned in close, lowering his voice more. "You're really interruptin' the..." He glanced at the river behind them, searching for a word. "..._Flow_ of things."

"You pathetic _bastard_!" Penny jumped up, throwing what was left of her sandwich in his face. "How _dare_ you! You were all for having us live in your lodging house, protecting us, taking us under your all-powerful wing, because you're the great _Jack Kelly_, with a heart of gold and a smile to match!"

Across the street, Catch stopped and snickered at the scene with a young newsboy. "Looks like Kelly's got her Irish up," she said with a devilish grin, then continued on toward their destination.

"But the minute things start to turn sour, you slink back with your tail between your legs, pass the problem on to someone else!" Penny's eyes burned as bright as the red of her hair, staring Jack down menacingly. "And of course, soon as you realize we don't have eyes just for you, you turn us away! Jack Kelly, you are a coward, and a pompous one at that!"

"Hey!" Jack stood up, towering over her small frame and setting his body to fight. "Nobody calls me a coward, 'specially not some Mick broad on a power trip!"

At this, Penny stepped toward him, pushing him with all her might. When he hit the ground, she drove her foot into his gut and then set it on his chest. As he looked up at her in awe, she shook her head. "Don't you _ever_ call me a 'broad' again."

"Stop it!" Elise struggled to get up, flustered and a bit breathless. "The two of you are--" She stopped mid-sentence, gaping just as Jack was at the rush of fluid that was suddenly on the ground and partially on Jack's shirt. "What is that?" She blinked, then placed her hands on her suddenly cramping stomach. "What's going on?"

"Oh, my God." Penny took her foot off Jack's chest, then looked down at him. "We have to get her back to the lodging house!" Jack remained on the ground, staring up at Elise in awe. Penny kicked him in the side. "Get up! She's in _labor_, you idiot!"

Jack stood up, shaking, looking back and forth up the street. He called to Catch and her friend, who reluctantly trudged to them. "Okay, um..." He pointed to the newsboy, who seemed more frustrated at the fact that he didn't know what was going on than that he had been interrupted. "You," Jack said, "help me carry her home. And Catch, I need you to run to Manhattan, get Crutchy and Skittery and maybe a couple more fellas." Catch turned and started to stroll leisurely toward the bridge. "Catch!" Jack called after her. "_Run_!"

Jack and the newsboy struggled with Elise a moment before figuring out a system, and headed out on the short walk to the lodging house, with Penny alongside, trying to hide her panicking.

* * *

**A/N: There isn't a whole lot to say here. At least for me. There'd better be a lot for you guys to say. :) I figured I needed to bring out Jack's role a little bit more. And we needed some action. Things are getting intense, no? Anyway, I promise the next chapter will be longer, and you will find out the fate of the McKennons. In the meantime, please R&R, and maybe take a look at my other fics because I'm a review whore right now. (end shameless plug here)Thanks! -Layne**


	16. Chapter 16

It was well into the night before Penny and the caretaker's wifefinally emerged from the spare room in the girls' lodging house. Jack, Crutchy, Skittery, and Spot were all on the edge of their seats, fatigue hiding behind the concern in their eyes. The four of them jumped up when Penny came into the room, looking at her expectantly. The rest of the newsies in the room, restless with anticipation, sat up to pay attention.

"Elise is doing fine." Crutchy fell back into his seat with relief, slumping with a sigh.

"What... what about the baby?" Jack grabbed Spot's flask of whiskey, taking a large, loud gulp and staring at Penny.

"The baby is small, but Mrs. Brown says he'll live." Penny walked across the room to envelop herself in Skittery's waiting arms. She leaned her head on his shoulder, exhaustion finally taking over, and looked out at the three other boys.

"It's a boy?" Crutchy asked, finally finding the strength to sit back up again.

"It's a boy," Penny replied with a small smile.

"A boy!" Whim grinned from her bunk, setting down the cards she was playing with Sketch. "I bet he's awful cute."

"Way to go, Jack," Sketch said, tossing a pillow at Jack, which knocked his hat off. "You got ya'self a son!"

Jack exhaled sharply, forcing a smile. He replaced his hat on his head, then looked back at Penny. "Can I-- can we go in and see 'em?"

Penny nodded, then laughed lightly as they all stepped toward the door. "One at a time. They're both exhausted, they don't need a big crowd of people in there. You go in first, Jack."

* * *

A few minutes later, as Jack came out and hurriedly left to head back to Manhattan, Crutchy walked in. He took in the sight before him: Elise lay on the bed, her hair still plastered to her forehead with sweat and her clothes rumpled, holding a tiny bundle and smiling. She managed to take his breath away in the weirdest situations.

"Hey," was all he could muster as he made his way to the chair next to the bed. Elise looked up at him and grinned.

"Hi," she returned. "You look exhausted."

"You're one to talk," he grinned, looking her over. "At least you look happy. I ain't seen you smile like that in a while."

"I _am_ happy," she sighed, looking down at the tiny child, wrapped in a familiar blue blanket. "I didn't think I'd even be able to look at him. But now I can't stop." Elise laughed a little, shaking her head. "Even with what he came from, he's so beautiful, so perfect." She wiped her eyes, sniffling. "He doesn't even look like... um, well, he looks like me."

Crutchy leaned over. "Yeah, he does." He grinned, raising his eyes to Elise's. "You've got yourself one good-lookin' little boy, there."

"Would you like to hold him?"

He stopped and stared a minute, pondering the baby. He was so small, looked so fragile. "I might break him or somethin'."

"Trust me, Crutchy, you won't."

She handed the tiny bundle to him, and he sat back, cradling it awkwardly in his arms. "He's so... _little_."

"Well, he's a baby," Elise said with a giggle. "And he's a wee bit early."

Crutchy nodded. "You, uh... you pick out a name for 'im yet?"

"I was thinking Killian. It suits him."

"Killian," Crutchy repeated, staring at the child's face. "That's a good, strong name. He's gonna need a name like that, livin' in a world like this."

Elise nodded sleepily, leaning back against the pillows. "I think you're right. Now, if you don't mind holding him for a little while, I thinkI'm going to rest my eyes, justfor a little bit..." And before Crutchy could evenrespond, she was fast asleep.

He looked down at the baby, whose bright blue eyes were open, staring up at him in wonder. "Hey there, Killian.Myname'sCrutchy." Killian stretched in his arms, looking around the room and starting to fuss. "Shh," Crutchy whispered, bouncing him a little. "You're okay here. You're safe with me. I'll protect you, I promise."

Killian seemed to understand, as he turned in Crutchy's arms and closed his eyes to sleep. Crutchy looked from the baby to Elise, and back to the baby again. _This should be my family, _he thought, rocking the tiny, sleeping baby. _This should be my son_.

* * *

On the other side of the city, another small family sat, staring outthe window of the Refuge. Stripped of all their belongings but for the clothes on their backs, the McKennon brothers were miserable and plotting their escape. As they exchanged whispered conversation on this topic, a curly-haired blond boy wandered up to them.

"Hey, I'm Ten-Pin," he said, extending a hand.

"I don't care," Francis McKennon growled back, watching a couple of working girls stroll past the building. Oh, if only he could get out of there...

"What're you fellas in for?"

Man, this kid couldn't take a hint! "Fightin'," Kenny replied. "Now shove off, wouldja?"

"Fightin' who?"

"Dammit!" Frankie turned to him,aggravationburning inhis face. "We got caught fightin' a couple o' bloody newsboys. You happy?"

"Oh! You'se the guys that fought with Skittery and Crutchy! Man, word is that they got you pretty good an' left you holdin' the towel!" The young boy looked them over. "And from the looks of ya, I'd say that's true. Man, Jack Kelly's gonna want to get a hold of you when you get out!"

"Oh, bugger off, you little twit!" Frankie's face was turning red now.

"You guys talk funny."

Kenny balled his fist and was raising it to the little boy, just as the warden walked in to rap him on the back of the head with his cane.

* * *

**A/N: Ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a baby! I chose the name Killian because it means "conflict." Suiting, no? Anyway. I'm really, REALLY proud of this chapter. We get to see a little raw emotion from Crutchy, a little implied romance, and a little comic justice for the McKennon brothers. Enjoy that while it lasts, though. Well, I think that's enough to say here, I'll just bask in the glory that is this chapter. :) I hope you all enjoyed it, please R&R, and have a FANTASTIC day! -Layne**


	17. Chapter 17

"So how are you doin'?" Skittery asked as he and Penny stood on the fire escape of the lodging house, taking in the cool evening air from over the river.

She shrugged. "Exhausted," she replied, leaning against the rusted metal railing. "And more than a little bit scared."

Skittery put an arm around her, pulling her into his chest. "Things will turn out okay, I promise."

"How?" Penny rested her forehead against his chest, sighing deeply. "Elise has a baby now, and the three of us have no real home to speak of, I can't walk around without having to look over my shoulder every two seconds, and now you and Crutchy are getting attacked on our behalf!" She pounded her tiny fist against his chest, crying now. "All I want is for my life to be _normal_ again! I just want to go _home_!" On those last words, she collapsed against him, sobbing hysterically.

"Shh, Penny," Skittery stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth. "Penny, baby, you _are_ home."

He let her cry for a few minutes, just to get out all the pent-up stress and anger and emotion. When she finally stopped, she pulled away and apologized.

"It's okay," he said softly, drying her cheeks with his thumbs. "Just calm down. Everything's going to be just fine."

"What about you? And Crutchy? And the McKennons?"

"What about 'em?" He shrugged. "Mush knows a kid, just got outta the refuge today. He says they're in there, will be for a few months at least, what with all the shit the police got 'em on." Skittery smiled, a little proud of himself. "As for me an' Crutchy, nobody knows we was there, an' so we ain't gonna get in any trouble."

"But they beat the two of you up pretty bad..."

"Yeah, well, it'll heal. I figure my nose is prob'ly broken, and one of Crutchy's teeth got knocked loose, but that's the worst of it. We'll be okay. Promise."

Penny nodded, and on that, Skittery kissed her. "Oh!" He exclaimed, digging into his pocket. "Almost forgot to tell you. Me and the boys, we saved up some money to help Elise and the baby out, y'know, feed 'em and pay for some lodging, since she won't be able to go back to work for a little while." He pulled a bag out of his pocket, pushing it into her hand. "Don't say no. You can't work enough for the both of you, and a baby. You'll need it."

She smiled and hugged him, then looked in the window when she heard Killian cry. "I guess we'd better get back in there," she said, climbing through the window and back into the lodging house.

* * *

**A/N:I realize this is shorter than normal. But I just wanted something that showed a little emotion, something that showed the dynamics of Skittery and Penny's relationship. I think it's rather sweet. I'm very proud of it. Oh, and congratulate me on making it to chapter 17 and NOT abruptly ending the story! Haha! Okay, I love you guys. R&R and I'll give you a Tootsie Pop! -Layne**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I would like to warn everyone that this chapter is _very_ graphic. If that's going to bother you, or if you are too young to be reading something like this anyway, you should probably not read past this note.**

* * *

"I can't believe we have to take this son-of-a-bitch his supper." Frankie kicked at a wall as he and Kenny walked down the hallways to Warden Snyder's office, carrying trays of food. "And how come we don't eat like this?"

"God damn it, Frankie, would you shut your damned mouth?" Kenny pushed open the door, putting on an obviously fake smile. "Good evenin', Mr. Snyder sir! Here's your supper, enjoy."

The McKennon brothers walked out and Frankie sulked as they made their way through the hall. "You didn't have to be so rude to me, Kenny."

"Shhh!" Kenny elbowed his brother and pointed out the windowed front doors. "The gate guard's goin' off duty. The next guard won't be here for a good five minutes."

"...So?"

"So come on, you dolt!" Kenny grabbed Frankie by the arm and they bolted out the front door, barely slipping out the gate behind the retiring guard. They slowed to a stroll as he turned around to look behind him, doing their best to look like two people just passing by. The guard didn't say anything.

"Jesus, Kenny." Frankie laughed a little. "So, where are we headin'?"

"Brooklyn."

* * *

Penny sat off to the side of the dressmaker's front steps, taking her lunch break. It had been two weeks since Killian was born, and she was getting a little lonely at work. She understood that Elise had to stay back at the lodging house with him, and get some rest, but Penny really had no other friends at work. Everyone was kind of wrapped up in their own business. She understood that, though. Lord knows she had plenty of her own private business to tend to.

"You know, a pretty girl like yourself oughtn't be sitting out alone, especially not in a place like this."

Penny's head snapped up. She knew that voice. She jumped up to run into the shop, but a strong pair of arms grabbed her around the waist and dragged her into the alley behind the building.

"So, Kenny, you want her first or should I?"

"I've had 'er before. You go ahead." Kenny's arms pinned Penny to the ground, his dirty hand pressed over her mouth.

Frankie pushed her skirt up, laughing as she squirmed. "Be a lady, sweetheart, and hold still." He grabbed her firmly by the hips and pushed.

Penny felt that vicious burning sensation, that horrible tearing she'd tried so hard to forget. She tried to scream, but her voice was muffled by Kenny's hand, tried to kick, but Frankie was too heavy. Eventually she gave up, stopped moving, and closed her eyes. Tears leaked out their corners as he pushed more and more, faster, harder. Her breath hitched in a silenced sob.

An all-too-familiar burst of heat told her he was finished. As he stood up and refastened his britches, he grinned that rotten-toothed smiled. "You want a go, Kenny, or should we take her home first?"

"Penny, where the hell are you?" Mama Green's voice, laced with aggravation, echoed through the alley. "Girly, you just wait until I find you!" The door of the shop slammed, and Frankie and Kenny scattered.

Penny stood up, brushing debris from her hair and dress. She walked, or rather, limped out of the alley and looked sheepishly at Mama Green.

"What the hell happened to you, Penny?"

Penny shrugged. "I, um... I tripped."

"What were you doing in the alley?"

"I... uh... I heard a noise, and went to see what it was. I suppose it was just a rat or something, because when it ran past me, I tripped over it."

"Your dress is torn."

"I must've snagged it on something, I guess."

Mama Green clucked her tongue and sighed. "Well, you're late. What am I going to do with you, Penny?"

"I'm sorry, Mama Green."

"Get inside and get back to work."

* * *

After work, Penny trudged out of the shop, trying her best to hold back her tears. All she wanted was to get back to the lodging house, take a long, scalding bath, and curl up in bed. She didn't want to see anyone, talk to anyone, not even Elise.

But Skittery was waiting on the steps for her, with a little bouquet of red flowers in his hand. With a huge smile, he handed the bunch to her.

"I paid a whole three cents for those," he said proudly.

Penny put on the biggest smile she could muster, which wasn't much. "Thank you, Skittery. That's very sweet of you." She gave him a small peck on the cheek.

"How was work?"

Her heart sank. She wasn't sure whether to explain to him what happened, or to flat-out lie to him. "It... it was work." Not exactly a big lie, but a lie nonetheless.

His smile faded. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm fine." Lie. "I'm just tired." _Lie_. "It was a long day."

Skittery shrugged. "Well, let's go down to the docks and you can tell me about it."

Before Penny could protest, Skittery threw an arm around her shoulders and started walking. Exhausted, she leaned into him.

They sat on the end of the dock, and Skittery took her hand in his. "So, what went on at work today that's got you so dead-tired?"

She sighed. "Oh, um... there were just a lot of customers. Kind of a demanding day."

He nodded and looked her over. "Hey, how'd you tear your dress?"

Closing her eyes, Penny shook her head. "Um... there was a nail, sticking out of the wall, and I snagged my dress on it. Nothing big, I didn't get cut or anything." Another lie.

"So you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Promise?" He squeezed her hand, and she nodded. _Lie_.

She laid her head on his shoulder and sat for a few minutes. Skittery inquired about getting dinner, but she declined.

"I kind of just want to go home. I'd like to take a bath, and see Elise and Killian."

"Okay, well, I'll go with you. Crutchy's there, visitin' Elise, and he probably shouldn't walk all the way back to Manhattan by hisself."

Penny sighed and stood up, still quite sore. As much as she liked being with Skittery, as safe as she felt with him, all she wanted to do was be alone.


	19. Chapter 19

"Tell me your story," Elise said, looking at Crutchy.

Crutchy looked over from Killian sleeping in his makeshift crib of a dresser drawer and some blankets. "Huh?"

"Tell me your story," she repeated. "Why you're a newsboy. How come you're an orphan. Everything."

"Uh..." he fidgeted in his chair a little bit. "Well, thing is, I ain't a orphan. At all... not like Blink and Jack, they got fathers out there somewhere but both their ma's are dead... see, I got a whole family."

"Then why are you a newsie?" Elise sat up in bed with interest, pushing her dark hair out of her face.

Crutchy sighed. "Um... I got a little brother, five-six years old by now, probably. Anyway, right after he was born, I was out playin' in the street with my friends and this wagon goes by. When me and my friends are runnin' to get outta the street, I trip. The wagon runs over my leg, an' messed me up real bad. I was laid up for months. Doc said I wouldn't never walk normal again."

Elise nodded, sighing. "So that's why you..."

"Yeah. Um, anyway, once I could at least get around again, I figured my parents didn't need a cripple to take care of on top of a new baby. So I took off. Lived on the streets a couple'a weeks 'fore I met Jack an' he took me in."

"Do you miss them?"

"My family?" Crutchy leaned back in his chair, studying the ceiling for a moment. "Yeah," he said finally, nodding. "All'a time."

"So why don't you go back to them? They do live in New York, don't they?"

"Yeah. In the Bronx. But they've prob'ly forgotten all about me by now."

"I doubt that."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both staring at the sleeping baby. Elise wondered how anyone could possibly forget about their own child.

"Can I ask you one more question, Crutchy?"

"Um, sure."

"What's your name?"

He went quiet for a minute. "It's, um... it's Jacob. Jacob Rosenberg."

"Jacob Rosenberg." She repeated the name softly. "That's beautiful."

Crutchy smiled a little and nodded.

"Thank you for telling me that."

"Um... no problem, I guess... y'know, I never told my story to anybody before. I guess it feels kinda good."

With that, Elise leaned forward and kissed Crutchy. His eyes widened in shock for a minute, then they closed and he placed a hand on her cheek. He'd never kissed a girl before, except for his mother, and didn't know exactly what to do with his hands, or the rest of his body, for that matter. It was awkward, but it was nice.

Until the door opened.

"Crutchy, Skittery's here and he says he'll walk--" Whim stood in the doorway, with her mouth hanging open. "Um... he... he says he'll walk with you back to Manhattan..."

Crutchy pulled away from Elise, grabbed his crutch, and went out the door as fast as he could go. Whim remained where she was, staring at Elise. "Oh, Elise..."

Elise sighed and shook her head. "Come in, Whim, and close the door."

Whim complied, and sat down in the chair previously occupied by Crutchy. "This isn't good... I mean, you heard about what happened when Catch fooled around on Jack... he won't even speak to her no more. An' what with the two o' you havin' a baby together... oh, Elise, I don't know _what_ he'll do!"

Elise frowned and looked down at Killian. Whim followed her gaze.

After staring for a few minutes, Whim turned back to Elise. "Killian ain't Jack's baby, is he?"

Laying back on the bed and choking back tears, Elise shook her head. "No. No, Whim, he's not."

Whim's dreamy brown eyes went wide again. "Does Jack know?"

Elise nodded. "It's a long, very complicated story." She rubbed at her eyes, then gently picked Killian up. "I'll tell it to you some other time. But right now... right now isn't a good time."

Killian opened his eyes, looking around for a moment, then started to fuss a little. He stared intently at Elise's bodice, and Elise began to laugh. "If Skittery's here, that must mean Penny's home, right?"

Whim nodded. "Yeah... she seems awful shook up about somethin' though. Won't talk to nobody," she said as she gently stroked Killian's dark hair. "She didn't even give Skittery a proper kiss goodbye 'fore goin' to take a bath. She was real intent on that bath, too. Weird." She shrugged.

"That is strange. Well, when she gets out of the bath, would you send her in here?"

"Sure." Whim continued admiring Killian. "Golly, Elise, you made one good-lookin' baby."

"Well, thank you, Whim, but this good-looking baby is dead-set on getting fed right now."

Whim nodded, still staring, then after a few seconds, looked up. "Oh! Right. Well, I guess I'll talk to you later."

"Yes, you will," Elise said with a smile as Whim walked out, then began to unbutton her bodice.

* * *

Penny sat in the bathtub, dissatisfied that the water was cold. She just didn't have the energy to boil a pot of water and haul it upstairs from the kitchen, so she had to settle for an ice-cold bath instead. She did her best to ignore it.

For the past ten minutes, she'd been scrubbing herself with an old rag and the coarse soap that was given to them by the nuns. Her skin was now pink and raw and a little tender, but she couldn't stop scrubbing. She felt dirty, filthy, used. She couldn't get clean enough.

"Um, Penny?" A small, mousy girl around nine years old, whose name Penny couldn't remember, stood in the doorway of the washroom. "Are you done in the bath yet? Me an' Les got in a mud fight today an' Sketch says I gotta take a bath a'fore I go to bed."

"Oh... um, yes, I'll be out in a minute." She set the soap and rag on the small table, then got out and drained the bathtub. After she dried and got dressed, she walked out into the bunk room and Whim looked up at her.

"Penny, Elise wants ta see ya in her room."

Penny nodded and padded over to the spare room. Pushing the door open, she peeked in.

Elise lay back against the pillows, cuddling a sleepy-eyed Killian. The baby toyed with her hair a little bit, and the both of them looked quite content. Elise looked up and smiled. "Hi."

Penny waved and shuffled in silently.

"Whim said you were upset." Elise patted the bed next to her, and Penny crawled in under the covers. "Did something happen at work?" She noted the sad, lost look in Penny's eyes as she nodded. She looked so small, helpless... even more defenseless than Killian. "Are you going to tell me about it?"

Penny sighed and reluctantly went into detail of her ordeal in the alleyway.

As she finished, they were both crying. Elise wiped her eyes and clutched Killian to her chest, remembering. "Does Skittery know?"

"I didn't tell him."

"Are you going to?"

Penny shook her head. "I don't know... I want to, but I'm afraid of what he'll do. How he'll react."

"Whatever he does will only be in defense of you."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Penny sighed and gently took Killian from Elise's arms, cradling him and taking comfort in the fact that at least one good thing had come from all of this.


	20. Chapter 20

In the morning, Spot came into the bunk room to check that everyone had gone to work. Elise was alone, straightening the room as she had taken to doing every morning.

"Mornin', Mama," Spot said as he looked around the room. He'd taken to calling her that since she had come to Brooklyn, and in all honesty, Elise didn't mind. She actually rather liked it.

"Good morning," she replied, folding a blanket over the end of someone's bunk. She reached down to tickle Killian, who lay contently on Elise's old bunk, staring with fascination at Spot.

"Well, thanks for cleanin' up in here, I guess I'll see you when I get home tonight."

"Oh, Spot?" Elise straightened herself, leaning against the bedpost. "Are you by any chance going into Manhattan today?"

Spot smiled. "Matter of fact, I'm headin' over there now. Gotta take care of some business with Jack. Why?"

"Could you send Skittery over here? I need to talk to him about something. Tell him it's very important."

"Will do. See you later." He ruffled Killian's fine hair and smiled somewhat proudly, then jogged down the stairs.

* * *

Skittery sat with a small circle of his friends at the distribution center, taking a break for some lunch. He was reading through the afternoon edition, trying to find a headline that was better than the ones from the morning. He came across a small blurb:

**Teenage Criminals Escape from House of Refuge**

Last night, two boys jailed for public drunkenness and fighting escaped from the House of Refuge. Francis and Kenneth McKennon were last seen around seven o'clock when serving dinner to the warden. They are expected to still be in the city, and are presumed to be dangerous. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is urged to contact any police officer.

"Shit," he mumbled under his breath, looking up for Jack or Crutchy. "Shit, shit, shit." All he saw was Spot Conlon.

"Skitts," Spot said, walking up to him, "Elise says she wants ta see ya. Says it's real important, an' she wants you to go to Brooklyn right away."

Skittery nodded, grumbling, and got up. He headed for the Brooklyn Bridge, keeping his eye out for two particular faces.

* * *

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Elise called out, tucking Killian in for a nap after his lunch. Skittery walked in, setting his stack of newspapers on the bed.

"Um, Spot said you wanted to see me."

"Oh, good. Hi. You can sit down if you want."

Skittery smiled a little, looking down at the baby. "I'm good standin', thanks." He paused for a moment. "This is about Penny, ain't it?"

"Yes, it is. It's about what happened yesterday."

"I knew somethin' was wrong..." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "She seemed real upset about somethin' last night and wouldn't tell me what was goin' on." Remembering the newspaper, he sighed. "It's them McKennon fellas, huh? I read in the afternoon edition that they broke out."

Elise sighed, looking down at the floor. "Yes... she was on her lunch break yesterday and..."

"They do somethin' to her?" Skittery's face was already turning red. "They hurt her?"

Elise looked at him, exasperated. He simply closed his mouth and nodded. "She was on her lunch break, and was just standing outside when they came up. They dragged her into an alley and... and Kenny held her down while..." She looked down at her baby, grateful he couldn't understand yet. "Frankie raped her."

Skittery shook with rage. His face was dark red and his jaw was set, his fist clenched at his sides. "Goddamn it."

"She didn't want me to tell you."

"Well, why the hell not?" Skittery snapped. "I'm gonna kill those sons'a bitches.

"That's _exactly_ why she didn't want you to know. She knew you'd react like this."

"Why shouldn't I! Damn it, nobody does that to Penny... to _any_ girl and gets away with it." He ground his teeth together, barely able to control himself. "Nobody touches my girl but _me_ and lives to tell the tale."

"Skittery, don't do anything--"

He kicked the foot of Elise's bed, moving it a good six inches and making a loud crashing noise in the process. Killian woke up and started crying hysterically. "I gotta go," Skittery said, grabbing his papers and storming out the door.


	21. Chapter 21

Penny walked out of the couturier's, wrapping her arms around herself against the chilly air. She looked around, checking to make sure everything was clear, and her eyes landed on Skittery, waiting on a bench across the street. Walking over to him, she smiled a little and actually meant it.

"Are you planning on waiting for me every day?" She laughed a little. He stood up and she stood on her toes to kiss his cheek gently. "I'm a big girl, I can walk home on my own."

The look on his face told her he wasn't in the mood to joke around. "What?"

"I went to talk to Elise today."

"Oh?" Penny's face went a little pale. "Well... that was nice of you... you know, she misses everyone from Manhattan."

"She told me about what happened yesterday."

Penny felt much colder all of a sudden. "I... something happened yesterday?"

"_Penny_." There was a flash of something in Skittery's eyes that scared her. She dropped onto the bench and put her face in her hands.

"I don't know what to say, Skittery."

"You lied to me." He sat down beside her, shook his head. "You didn't just not tell me. You _lied_ to me about it." His face was cold, angry. "I don't like bein' lied to, Penny. 'Specially not by you, and about somethin' like _this_."

"I'm sorry." Penny didn't even look up.

"Why?"

"It's my fault."

Skittery's heart stopped for a moment when she said that. "Penny... why the hell would you think somethin' like that?"

She turned her face to him, eyes swimming. "I wasn't paying attention. I wasn't _smart_. I was alone, wasn't someplace where somebody could see me, like I'm supposed to be. I wasn't fast enough, strong enough, to get away." She sniffled. "I just gave in and let it happen. It's all my fault, Skittery. I'm so sorry."

"No, no, no..." Skittery put his arms around her, though she tried to fight him off. He drew her to his chest, still struggling, and held her there until she stopped and slumped against him, crying. "It's not your fault. It's _their_ fault. You had nothin' to do with this, darlin'."

Penny buried her face in the folds of his shirt, clinging to him. It felt good not having to pull away from him. "Skittery, I can't handle this anymore."

He sighed and cupped her face in his hands, wiping her tears away. "Don't worry, Penny. Me an' the boys, we'll take care of this." He smiled a little and kissed her forehead. "For now, let's go get somethin' to eat, you gotta get some food in you. Then we'll get you home and you can go to bed. You look beat, baby."

* * *

Skittery walked Penny home and kissed her goodnight, then headed over to the boys' room for a moment.

"Hey, Spot."

"Hey, Skittery, what can I do for ya?" They spat in their palms and shook hands, a practice that no one could ever explain, but one that all newsies did anyway.

"We got a problem."

"What, you an' me?" Spot straightened himself, ready to fight. Despite his soft spot for his female newsies, Spot Conlon was a boy who loved to fight. If someone had a problem with him, he'd sooner settle it with his fists than his mouth.

"No," Skittery said, shaking his head. "It's Penny."

Spot's eyes went dark with concern. "What happened?"

Skittery and Spot walked over to the window and climbed out on the fire escape so they wouldn't be overheard. Skittery explained the previous day's events to Spot, who stood and nodded, clenching his teeth and holding a white-knuckled grip on the railing.

"I'm gonna kill those sorry bastards," he muttered when Skittery finished.

"Yeah, you an' me both." Skittery leaned against the cold brick. "Look, if you see these guys, don't let 'em get away. Tell your boys the same thing." He cracked his neck and his knuckles, longing for the chance to ram said knuckles into the McKennons' faces one more time. "I'm done with those two fuckin' with my life an' my girl. It's time we do somethin' about it."

"And we will," Spot replied, as they headed back into the lodging house. "We'll all keep a lookout for 'em."


	22. Chapter 22

It was a couple of weeks before anything of any significance happened. Things were calm for a while, and everyone had fallen back into rhythm. Elise had finally come back to work, with Killian in tow. Mama Green allowed those of her employees who had small children to bring them to work, provided they were still able to do their jobs while keeping their children in check. Killian was a fairly quiet baby, so he proved to be no trouble at all. All the girls seemed to love him, and helped Elise out by taking him every now and then to coo and fuss over him and give her a break.

Work had ended, and the girls were heading out the door to go home. Killian slept in his rickety carriage, a feat Elise never quite understood how he accomplished. Penny spotted two pleasantly familiar figures waiting across the street, and she and Elise headed over.

Skittery and Crutchy stood, waiting. Crutchy looked utterly disturbed and uncomfortable, while Skittery's face was practically glowing with jubilation. He swooped Penny up with a big hug and a kiss before leading her over to the side.

"What're you so happy about today?" Penny smiled a little; she loved seeing him like this.

"Big news. _Really_ big news."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. I got a job offer today." He grinned, looking like he wanted to sing and dance.

Penny blinked. "But... you have a job."

"Well, yeah, but it ain't like you can be a newsie your whole life." He shrugged. "Fella I know down at the docks needs somebody to load cargo an' stuff. I'll drive the delivery wagons too, sometimes. The pay's real good."

"What're you going to do about a place to live? Are you staying at the lodging house?"

"I was thinkin' I would... 'til I save up for my own place, anyway." Skittery wrapped an arm around Penny's shoulder, planting a kiss on the side of her head. "It's mostly work in the evenin's, so I'm still gonna be sellin' papes during the day. I'll have some savings and a place of my own in no time."

"Wow, Skittery," Penny said, smiling. "That's wonderful."

"Ain't it?" He laughed and swept her up again, spinning her around. As he set her down, he kissed her. "I love you, Penny."

Penny froze, staring. "What?"

Skittery blushed. "I.. I said I love you."

"Oh..." she sighed as she wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "I love you, too."

* * *

"Crutchy, what's the matter?" Elise's brows knitted together with concern as she walked over to him with the carriage. 

"Just had a real weird day, is all." Crutchy shrugged and reached down to tickle Killian.

Elise waited a few beats, watching him. "Well, are you going to tell me about it?"

"Huh?" He looked up. "Oh, yeah. Um, see, I ain't been sellin' so good lately. So I went lookin' for a new spot, y'know, someplace they don't know me. I just started walkin', and 'fore I know it, I wind up in the Bronx. I sold real good there, though."

Elise nodded. "That's good." The look on his face told her he wasn't finished. "What else happened?"

"Well, I get hungry, so I figure I could spring for this deli that's across the street from where I'm standin'. So I walk on in, an' the guy behind the counter looks up an' says hello. Then he stops, an' I stop, and do you know who it is that owns this place?" She shook her head. Crutchy sighed. "My own damn father."

As Crutchy sat down on the bench, Elise's jaw dropped. "So what did you do?"

"Well... I wanted to run, an' I was fixin' to hightail it outta there, but I couldn't move. He says my name, an' I here this commotion in the back. This lady runs out, lookin' all panicked, an' it's my ma. My _ma_, Elise. An' she almost bowls me over, the way she's runnin' at me, huggin' me and stuff." He shook his head, leaning back on the bench.

"What happened?"

"Well, they sat me down an' started askin' me all these questions. Where I've been, why I took off, what I've been doin' all this time. Ma said she thinks about me every day, misses me every day." He rubbed his hands over his face, sighing loudly. "I thought they'd forgotten about me."

"Oh, Crutchy." Elise sat down next to him, slipping an arm through his. "What are you going to do now?"

"Um... they asked me to come home and have dinner in a couple days. Y'know, to talk, an' all that." Elise nodded. "But, uh, I was thinkin'... maybe if you came with me, it wouldn't be so hard. You could bring the baby and whatnot and it... well, would you? Come with me?"

"Absolutely."

* * *

In an abandoned warehouse somewhere in Queens, two figures huddled with no fire and no blankets in the fading daylight. 

"Kenny, I'm tired of this. We got no money, no food, no place warm to stay."

"I know." Kenny rolled his eyes. "You only point that out every five damn minutes."

"I'm just sayin'. We should be livin' the high life by now... that's what Papa sent us over here for. But we lost those damn girls and we aren't any closer to gettin' 'em back."

"Shut up, Frankie."

"Well, we were supposed to have them workin' for Papa's friend by now! We were supposed to be getting our cut, but instead all we have is a bunch of overprotective, filthy, newspaper-peddling street trash." He wrapped his arms tighter around himself. "We oughta have a plan to fix this mess we're in."

"Frankie, I'm workin' on it. Just drop it for now."

"Squatting in some freezing, rat-infested warehouse is not exactly my idea of the American Dream."

"Goddamn it, Frankie, I told you to drop it." And with that, Kenny's fist went flying into Frankie's face. As his brother slumped down onto the floor, Kenny sighed with relief. "Ah. Quiet."


	23. Chapter 23

Elise and Crutchy trudged up the steps to an unfamiliar door. Between the two of them, they managed to drag Killian's carriage up as well, but it was no easy task. Breathless, Crutchy knocked.

A woman with Crutchy's face and dark brown hair opened the door. She smiled wide, her eyes a little teary. "Jacob," she sighed, dabbing at her eyes with a corner of her apron. "You came." She turned to Elise and smiled. "And you must be Elise. I'm Doris. It's good to meet you." Her eyes wandered to the baby carriage. "And who's this?"

Elise beamed with pride. "This is my son, Killian."

Crutchy's mother blinked, looked down at Elise's hand. Then she looked at Crutchy, obviously not knowing what to think.

"No, Ma. Killian ain't mine." He looked at Elise, then back at his mother. "It's... it's a long story."

Mrs. Rosenberg nodded, then opened the door to let them in. As they walked into the apartment, Crutchy looked around in disbelief. Everything was so familiar, in a distant way, but still seemed so new. His father stepped out of a bedroom, grinning.

"You're here."

Crutchy shrugged. "So I am." And his father pulled him into a strong hug, which Crutchy reluctantly returned. Elise looked on contentedly.

A small boy teetered out of the bedroom behind his father, the spitting image of Crutchy. "Papa, who's this?"

Mr. Rosenberg grinned at the child. "This is your brother, Jacob." He put a hand on the boy's head. "This is Michael."

"Michael," Crutchy repeated, barely above a whisper, staring at the little boy. He remembered him so well, but this little boy had no idea who he was. Could never quite understand. Crutchy straightened, then turned to Elise. "Pop, this is my friend Elise. Um, and that's her son, Killian."

His father blinked for a moment, then looked at Crutchy, who shook his head and rolled his eyes. Mr. Rosenberg then stepped to Elise, wrapping her in a hug. "It's good to meet you, Elise. I'm Jude." He leaned down to inspect a very curious Killian, and smiled. "That's one handsome little boy you've got."

Elise blushed. "Thank you. It's good to meet you too, sir... Jude."

Jude grinned. "That accent of yours, that's what, England?"

"Ireland. Dublin, to be exact."

"Ah. Well, I hope you like it here. Found yourself a fine Irish lass, did you, Jacob?"

Crutchy blushed.

Doris peeked into the kitchen. "Well, is everyone hungry? Dinner's ready."

"I am," Crutchy replied, offering his arm to Elise and leading her to the table.

* * *

After dinner, Elise and Crutchy stood at the door, saying their goodbyes. Elise shook hands, smiling. "That was delicious," she told Doris. "Thank you."

"Oh, anytime, sweetheart," Mrs. Rosenberg replied. "Come back whenever you feel like it, and bring that baby."

Elise smiled and nodded.

"Jacob," Mr. Rosenberg said once Doris had finished tearfully kissing and hugging Crutchy goodbye, "come by the deli sometime this week. I have something I'd like to talk to you about."

"Okay, Pop," Crutchy said with a nod. "Um... I'll see you guys later." He ruffled Michael's hair and looked at him a bit sadly, and then he, Elise, and Killian were on their way.

* * *

"You have a very nice family, Crutchy," Elise said as they walked down the street. "You come from good stock."

"Yeah." Crutchy focused on the bumpy road, as though he were worried he would fall.

"They seem to genuinely love you."

"I guess."

"Are you alright?"

"Just... confused, I s'pose. It's nothin', really."

"What are you confused about?"

"Lotsa things." Crutchy sighed. "I mean... I left my family. Just... left 'em, no lookin' back, didn't say a word to 'em. But here they are, welcomin' me back with open arms. It's weird."

"You're their _son_, Crutchy. They love you. Of course they'd welcome you back."

"What if they ask me to come home?"

Elise shrugged, pulling her thin jacket around herself. "What if they do?"

"I like bein' a newsie."

"Well, who says you can't still be a newsie? David lives at home with his family, and he sells newspapers."

"And say I do go home. How do I explain myself to Michael?"

"I'm afraid I can't help you with that one."

They walked in silence for several minutes, until they were almost to the lodging house in Brooklyn. "Elise, I'm confused about you, too."

"What about me is confusing?" Elise bit her lip, looking at Crutchy in the fading daylight.

"Well, about how you kissed me that one day. An' how it made me feel. Not normal... like I wanted more. Like I wanted _you_."

"Crutchy," Elise sighed. "I kissed you because I needed to. Because I've been dealing with these feelings for you for a very long time and I couldn't stand it anymore." She blushed, visible even in the twilight. "I'm sorry. It was forward."

"No... it was good." Crutchy stopped at the front steps of the lodging house. "But... what do you mean, 'feelings'?"

"I..." Elise looked at the ground, shuffling her feet. "Um. I... kind of, a little bit... I think I might love you."

Crutchy's face lit up as bright as the light in the window. "Wow," he said, barely able to breathe. He stood a while, unable to move. He looked up at her, finally capable of coherent speech. "Shit, Elise. I've loved you since the day I met you."

Their lips met again, soft, sweet. To an outsider's eyes, they looked quite the odd couple: a cripple and a young, unmarried mother. But between the two of them, there wasn't a care in the world.

* * *

Two pairs of eyes watched this odd couple from a across the street, but this time when they parted, the eyes did not follow. They stayed in place. And waited. 


	24. Chapter 24

It was their day off, and Penny and Elise were so excited. They sat in Elise's room, relishing in the quiet of the lodging house now that everyone had gone off to sell the day's papers.

"So, how was dinner with Crutchy's family last night?"

Elise smiled as she lounged on her bed. "Wonderful. His family is wonderful. Everything is wonderful."

"What happened?"

"Um... we ate dinner?"

Penny rolled her eyes. "I'm aware of that, you dolt. What I mean is why on Earth are you glowing?"

"I'm not glowing." Elise _was_ glowing.

"Something happened with Crutchy, didn't it?"

Elise just smirked and turned her head away.

"Oh, you are _terrible_," Penny said, throwing a pillow at her cousin.

"I didn't say anything!" Elise giggled.

They had no time to react when they heard the noise coming from the fire escape.

* * *

Skittery sleepwalked through the streets of Manhattan. Working two jobs was really a horrible idea. He hadn't slept more than a couple hours in the past three days, and his arms and legs were tired and sore from lifting and walking and lifting and walking. It's all he did lately.

Though he'd taken far fewer newspapers than he usually did, the bundle felt like it weighed two thousand pounds in his arms. If only he could just sell them all and be done with it.

He lazily called out the headline as it was, attracting no more than the usual handful of businessmen who bought papers from him on a daily basis.

_I'm gonna be so glad when I'm done with this shit_, Skittery thought bitterly. He kicked at a rock and then called out a more creative headline, anxious to go back to the lodging house, to a bed and a few hours' rest.

"Skittery! Hey, Skittery!" A familiar, cheerful voice called from his back.

"Oh, Jesus," Skittery muttered as he turned around. Sure enough, there was Crutchy, hobbling toward him at full speed.

"Heya, Skittery," Crutchy grinned, earning a nod in reply. "How come you look so down and out?"

"Tired," Skittery mumbled. "Ain't slept in days."

"Oh, well. I was just gonna ask you if ya wanted to go out ta Brooklyn with me, seein' as I'm headin' out there to see Elise. It's her day off. But if you're tired, I guess you'll just want to go home and go to sleep."

Brooklyn. Brooklyn meant Penny. Penny was better than sleep and coffee combined. If he could see her, hold her for a little while, everything would be better, even if he never slept a wink for the rest of his life. "No, I'll go with ya."

And they were on their way. It was the longest walk of Skittery's life, being that he was so thoroughly exhausted and very anxious to see Penny. He felt like it took months to get from Manhattan to Brooklyn.

* * *

When they finally arrived at the lodging house, they didn't bother to tell the caretaker they were there. He was busy anyway, napping behind the front counter. They just headed up the stairs to Elise's room.

About halfway up the stairs, they heard Killian crying. Knowing Elise, they figured she'd quiet him in a matter of seconds. But the baby kept crying, and they couldn't hear Elise's maternal murmurs.

Skittery leaped up the last few steps, pushing at the partly-open door. The room looked like a battlefield: clothing and furniture was strewn everywhere, with Elise's bed on the floor, on its side.

In the middle of the room, Killian's dresser-drawer crib was overturned, with the baby lying on his stomach, screaming.

Elise and Penny were nowhere to be found.


	25. Chapter 25

It was freezing in the warehouse. Penny and Elise huddled together, shivering. It was dark – the candle that had been left in the room had long gone out thanks to the draft coming in through the cracks in the ancient, crumbling walls. Little slivers of light peeked in through those cracks, but not enough to tell whether it was daylight or not. God knew how long they'd been there.

Elise muttered something incomprehensible under her breath. "What?" Penny replied, but all she got was a sob in return. Penny was trying to keep her composure, to keep strong for Elise. She needed it... neither of them had any idea what had happened to Killian.

_What if he's hungry?_ Elise thought. _Or cold, or sleepy, or alone?_

She couldn't bear it. She hugged her knees to her chest and rocked.

Penny wrapped her arms around her cousin, holding her close both for warmth and for comfort. "Things will be alright." There was no hope in her voice, just flat, dry surrender. Try as she might, optimism was far beyond her at this point.

Elise just whimpered and shook her head, though it couldn't be seen.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before the door opened. Light flooded the room for a moment while a loaf of bread was plopped down in front of them along with a pitcher of water. "Keepin' you worthless prats alive is a waste o' my time," the gruff voice hissed at them, though they couldn't place whose exactly it was.

The door swung shut and the light was gone. They heard the hollow _click_ of the lock, and Penny fumbled for the loaf of bread. "Hungry?"

Elise finally spoke. "No."

"Elise, you need to eat. You need strength for when we get out of here, for Killian."

She made a small noise of defeat at the sound of his name. She tore off a chunk of bread and shoved it in her mouth.

* * *

"Should... should we tell the police?" Crutchy stood in the doorway of Elise's room, staring at the destruction.

Skittery scooped Killian up off the floor, trying to quiet him. "The bulls ain't gonna believe a couple'a ratty newsboys." When Killian continued screaming, he held him out to Crutchy. "Here, he knows you better. Maybe you can get him to calm down."

As Crutchy balanced the fussing child in his arms, he continued to watch Skittery. "So what do we do?"

Skittery sighed and picked up some of Killian's blankets. "Well, first we gotta find someone to take care of the baby. Then, we gotta tell Spot, an' Jack, an' then let the rest of the newsies know." He looked over the chaos of the normally neat, small room, and shook his head. "An' I gotta figure out a plan, 'cuz if I see these guys on the street I'm bound to kill 'em 'fore I get anything out of 'em."

Crutchy stayed silent, though he felt exactly the same way. Quiet hung tensely and awkwardly between the two boys, save for the still-screaming infant in Crutchy's arms. "Jesus, what's wrong with him?" Skittery was beginning to get irritated with the crying.

"Well, he misses Elise. Can prob'ly tell something's wrong." Crutchy bounced Killian a little bit. "Wouldn't you be worried if your ma just up an' disappeared?"

"Wouldn't know," Skittery shrugged. "Can we get 'im some milk or somethin'? Get 'im to quiet down?"

"I'll go talk to the caretaker's wife... she helps Elise with him anyway." Crutchy slowly made his way down the stairs, balancing both crutch and baby with great care and newly-acquired skill, and left Skittery to stand and worry, and to plan.

* * *

"Whattaya mean, gone?" Jack took a long pull on his cigarette before tossing it to the ground and stubbing it out with the toe of his boot.

"I mean _gone. _Kidnapped, or somethin'." Skittery leaned back against an exterior wall of the Manhattan lodging house, sighing. "Everything in Elise's room is torn up an' thrown around. The baby was on the floor, by hisself, screamin'."

"So where's he now?" Spot sat on a stack of boxes, listening to the conversation with an expression on his face that was a cross between violent anger and confusion. "Killian, I mean."

"Caretaker's wife's takin' care of him."

"Well, what're we gonna do?" Crutchy piped up, getting impatient.

Jack stood for a moment, with several expectant pairs of eyes resting on him. "I don't know."

Spot shook his head. "We're gonna track 'em down, stupid." And he jumped down from the stack of boxes, swearing. "We can't do a whole lot 'til mornin', but tonight, I want you to tell your boys about this. Tell 'em to be on the lookout for these McKennon fellas. Me, I got connections around the city. I'll spread the word."

"And if we run into 'em in the street?" Skittery lowered his eyes to Spot's.

"If you see 'em on the street, Skitts, I want you to keep your paws to yourself 'til _after_ you find out where Penny and Elise are." And though his face was serious, almost vicious, Spot winked before gathering those of his newsies who had accompanied him and headed back to Brooklyn.

* * *

"I think it's getting dark outside." Penny had her face pressed up against the wall, peering through one of the cracks. "Yes, it's definitely getting dark." She looked around a little more, desperate to find out where they were, and then gave up and felt her way back across the dark room to Elise.

"You think they're in the building somewhere?"

Penny laid down on the floor beside her cousin, inhaling sharply as her bare arms touched the cold cement. "I don't think they'd risk being too far away from us."

"So, they should be in here in the morning." Elise turned onto her side to face Penny.

"Well, at least one of them should. I suppose." Penny huddled closer to Elise, shivering. "Why?"

"Penny, I have a plan."


	26. Chapter 26

Morning came and every newsboy in the Manhattan lodging house was up far earlier than usual. Hardly anyone went to the distribution center at all – the only ones that did were the younger newsies and those who desperately needed to make some money that day. Everyone else had been dispersed throughout the city by Jack and Spot, with a description of two particular young men fresh in their minds and revenge pumping coldly in their veins.

Every newsie in every borough had heard the news by now, thanks to swift messengers. And every newsie was angry, and ready to fight.

Skittery, Spot, and Crutchy trolled through Brooklyn, keeping their eyes peeled and their ears alert. Every sound was carefully listened to, analyzed, judged. Each face they saw was closely studied, glared at suspiciously as the boys passed.

"This is gonna take forever," Crutchy grumbled, as he eyed yet another dark-haired boy passing him by. His breath puffed out in little clouds of steam in front of him, yet he didn't notice the cold seeping through his thin clothing.

"We ain't gonna quit 'til it's over," Spot replied, stepping out of the way for a group of girls to pass. "We're gonna keep lookin' for 'em if it takes us the whole damn winter."

"God, it's winter," Crutchy shook his head. "What if they ain't got blankets or coats or nothin'?"

"Only been gone about a day. I think they can take care of themselves for now... but we gotta get to 'em soon." Spot pulled his jacket closer around himself, staring at the ground.

Skittery didn't say anything; he just walked and watched.

* * *

"I hear something. Footsteps." Elise pushed off from the door, which she'd had her ear pressed to. "Someone's coming. Get ready."

The girls stood over to the side of the door, waited until it opened. As Kenny walked in, they ran to him.

Penny jumped on his back, wrapping an arm around his neck and holding his head steady by the hair. Elise attacked from the front, where Kenny was swinging his fists in rage. She raked her nails swiftly across his face, over an eye, drawing bright red blood that trickled down his cheeks.

"Son of a bitch!" Kenny screamed, struggling and reaching for contact with those big, hard fists.

Elise's foot flew up and landed squarely in his groin, causing the young man to double over. He remained like that a few moments, with his face turning a faint blue from the pain and from Penny cutting off his oxygen. He reared back up after stabilizing himself, then suddenly pitched forward, throwing Penny off his back and roughly onto the floor. She lay there, limp, the wind and the light knocked out of her.

Elise screamed.

"You thought you'd be able to fight back and run, did you?" Kenny grinned maliciously, and then brought his fist up, swinging across and connecting hard with Elise's temple. She went down, and he stood for a moment, shaking his head. "Stupid, _stupid_ girls," he muttered, and kicked Elise in the stomach. He relished the sharp release of wind and whimpering for a moment, then walked out, slamming the door.

* * *

"Miz Brown, what're we gonna do with him?" Sketch and Whim had stayed behind to help the caretaker's wife with Killian.

"Feed him, keep him warm," Mrs. Brown set Killian on her bed, wrapped him up in a blanket. "There's not much else we can do, girls."

"But how're we s'posed to feed him?" Whim sat down in a chair across from the baby, staring. "Elise, she feeds 'im with her... y'know..."

Mrs. Brown laughed a little, in spite of the situation. "I know, Whim. All we can give him is warm milk. It won't be anything close to what he needs, but at least it's something." She sighed, taking in the pathetic sight of the baby. "Sketch, go get the milk off the stoop. I'll heat some up."

* * *

It was much colder in the warehouse when Penny and Elise slowly regained consciousness. Penny came to first, but kept still and kept her eyes closed when she heard Kenny and Frankie inside the room, talking.

"They're still out. Ain't much use right now," Kenny mused.

"What the hell happened in here, anyway?"

"Dumb girls thought they could take me down and make a run for it," he laughed menacingly. "They were sorely mistaken."

"So what're we gonna do now?"

"Well, seein' as we aren't gonna get anything outta them tonight, we might as well go out and find something. Maybe check out the place Pop wanted us to send 'em to. See if they provide a, how shall I put this... a _quality_ service."

Frankie snickered. "Sounds like a good idea to me."

They left, and Penny sat up. She slapped lightly at Elise's face until she stirred. "They're leaving," Penny whispered, helping Elise to sit up.

"To where? How long?"

"I don't know. They'll be gone for a little while, I expect." She stood up, shaking a little on her feet. She'd been out cold. "I'm going to try the door."

"They always lock it."

"They could've forgotten. I'm hoping for a little dumb luck."

Penny felt her way to the door, searching for a handle. When she found it, she tried it. It turned. "It's unlocked!"

Elise stood up and followed Penny. "This is impossible. What are the odds?"

Penny just laughed jubilantly and rushed out the door. Elise stayed close on Penny's heels, following her up a narrow staircase. There was a dull _thud_ as Penny collided in the dark with another door. "What the..."

"Try that one. Maybe they forgot to lock it, too."

She turned the handle, her heart pounding nearly out of her chest with anticipation. She pushed on the door, only to find it blocked by something very large and very heavy. "No," Penny whispered, pushing harder at the door. "Dammit, no!"

Elise sighed and shook her head, dropping to the floor against the wall. She buried her face in her hands, trying not to cry.

Penny pounded on the door for a few minutes, screaming at it to no avail. Eventually, she fell against it, sobbing.

* * *

The day had turned up no results. The city had been searched up, down, and sideways, and there was still no sign of the McKennons or of Penny and Elise. Everyone had simply retired to bed in defeat; everyone but Skittery.

He wasn't going to sleep, so he might as well go to work.

He walked in a daze onto the docks, began dutifully loading crates from wagons onto ships and from ships onto wagons. The work was tedious and repetitive, but at least it kept his mind and body occupied.

His coworker, a boy about his age named James, approached him. "Hey," he said.

Skittery grunted in reply as he lifted a particularly heavy crate from a wagon.

"You know how you was sayin' you was lookin' for a place to live?" James helped him with the crate, though they both nearly dropped it as they placed it on the stack on the ship's deck.

"Yeah," Skittery said breathlessly, as he relaxed.

"Well, this ol' lady in my building just kicked off. No family or nothin', so the landlord's gonna sell most of her stuff but keep the main furniture there. He ain't told nobody about the place yet, except me, so I figured I'd tell you. Rent's pretty cheap," James offered with a smile.

"Um, thanks. I... I kinda got a lot on my mind right now, but I'll check it out soon, okay?"

"Okay."

"Hey, you two!" Their boss walked over to them, and the two boys straightened immediately. He looked at Skittery, seemed to search his brain. "Dammit, what is your name?"

"Skittery."

"That ain't a name."

"Sorry. Michaels, sir. Adam Michaels."

"Michaels," the man repeated. "You can drive a wagon, right?"

"Yes, sir," Skittery said.

"Good. You and Bartlett here," he said, nodding to James, "you gotta take a shipment out to Queens. There's a warehouse there, it looks pretty run down. Guy that owns it knows the shipment's comin', though. Just stick the crates on the loading dock in the back of the building and come back. Don't take too long, I ain't got enough workers here tonight for you two to waste any time, okay?"

"Yes, sir," Skittery and James said in unison. Their boss gave them directions, and they were on their way.

"So what's on your mind that's more important than findin' a place to live?" James asked as they were headed down the street toward Queens.

"Huh?" Skittery directed the horses, snapped the reins a little for them to pick up speed.

"You was sayin', when I told you about the place in my building, that you got a lot on your mind."

"Oh. It's... um, it's nothin'. I really rather not talk about it."

"Okay, man. But you gotta come check out this place soon. It's gonna go on the market an' be filled up in a flash."

"Yeah."

They were in Queens sooner than either of them expected. They pulled up in front of a dilapidated warehouse, examining the crumbling building.

"Don't see why this place is still runnin'," James mused. "If I owned this pile o' shit, I'd burn it to the ground."

"Ain't our job to judge," Skittery said with a shrug. He climbed down from the driver's seat and began unloading the crates from the back of the wagon. As he stacked them on the dock, he peered in the window. "Huh. Looks like we got a couple'a squatters in there."

James climbed up to the window to look in with Skittery. A lantern burned low on oil in the corner, but it lit up the room enough to see. There were a couple small piles of mens' clothing, and two cups, along with several crusts of bread. Skittery looked around at what he could see through the grimy window, his eyes falling on a door with several crates stacked in front of it.

An idea popped into his head.

"C'mon, man," James said, climbing back down. "We gotta finish unloadin' these crates and get back to work, or Mr. Hauser's gonna have a fit."

"Yeah." Skittery climbed down after his coworker, a plan hatching in his mind.


	27. Chapter 27

"Jack," Skittery poked at his friend as he lay in his bunk in the early hours of the morning. "Jack, wake up."

Jack rolled over, opening one eye. "Huh, what? Skittery, what the hell do you want? I'm sleepin'." He grumbled some more, incoherently, and nestled back down into his pillow to go back to sleep.

"C'mon, Jack, we got somethin' big to do today." Skittery rolled his eyes and pulled Jack's pillow how from under his head. "Come _on_, we gotta go to Queens."

Jack reached out and smacked Skittery on the side of the head, then sat up. "Queens? What the hell do we have to go to Queens for?"

"I know where Penny and Elise are."

Jack's eyes opened wide, and he jumped down from his bunk. "Alright, alright..." He stretched, and cleared his throat. "Everybody up!" He shouted, then headed to the washroom.

* * *

They'd stopped and picked up Spot and a couple of his larger, tougher newsies on the way to Queens. Skittery led them to the warehouse, urging them to be quiet as they approached. He climbed up into the window to check, and sure enough, the McKennons were curled up on the floor, asleep.

He jerked his head toward the building, and a swarm of fifty or sixty teen-aged boys rushed the door.

The McKennons jumped up, disoriented from sleep, as the crowd flooded in. They had no time to react or fight back when the fists started flying.

Skittery and Crutchy fought their way through the mass of people, to the door blocked by the crates. Pushing the heavy stack aside took several minutes of painstaking labor, but the two eventually managed the feat. Skittery flung the door open, and flew down the narrow staircase, nearly breaking his neck in his haste to get to the bottom.

"What is that noise?" Elise looked toward the door, listening to the dull roar coming from the other side.

"They probably made themselves a couple of thug friends and invited them over for tea or something," Penny replied morosely.

Elise sighed and leaned back against the cold cement wall. "We're done for." She resigned herself to the thought, thinking only of her baby, wherever he was.

The door suddenly flew open and both girls shrieked. Light flooded the dark, dingy room, and two silhouettes appeared.

"Penny? Elise?"

The voice they heard was sweeter than music. Penny and Elise jumped up and ran at the boys, nearly bowling them over in the process.

Skittery found himself being clung to and rained down upon with kisses and tears, while Crutchy was welcomed with a warm hug and a familiar head nestling itself into the crook of his neck. "Hey," was all he could muster, stroking the soft, dark hair in comfort.

Elise raised her head, wiped her eyes, and smiled. "Hey, back."

* * *

The trek back to Brooklyn was interrupted by a stop at the docks. Skittery's friend James was working, and Skittery approached him. "Hey, James."

"Hey," James said with a grin, examining the group behind Skittery at the end of the dock. "Looks like you've got yourself quite a party, there, Michaels."

Skittery turned around, flashing a grin at Penny, who smiled back and waved shyly. "Yeah," he said, turning back around. "Hey, Hauser around?"

"Nah," his coworker said with a shrug. "He was takin' a long lunch, said he'd be gone an hour or more. Left about five minutes ago. Why?"

"This ship leavin'?" Skittery nodded to the ship waiting at the end of the dock.

"Yeah, fixin' to shove off in a few minutes here."

"Where's it headed?"

"Stoppin' up in Maine for a day or two, then headin' over to England."

"I got a favor to ask you, James." Skittery waved his hand, and a couple of boys stepped forward, carrying two unconscious and very well worked-over McKennons. "We got a little extra cargo, if you don't mind."

James looked skeptically from the McKennons to Skittery. "What the hell happened to them?"

"They're bad people. I'll explain it to you later. Trust me, pal, you'll be glad they're out of this city."

He pondered for a few moments, then nodded. "Okay. But if Hauser gets wind of this, it's your ass on the line, okay?"

"No one's goin' to say a word. Far as them sailors know, these're a couple'a stowaways, lookin' for a free ride."

The boys headed down the dock and loaded the McKennons into the cargo bay. "Good riddance," Skittery muttered, as he slammed the door shut. He headed back up the dock, stopping by James once more. "That apartment in your building still open?"

"Yeah," James replied with a nod.

"Mind if I come with ya after work tonight to check it out?"

James smiled. "Sure."

Skittery grinned and said goodbye to his friend, then walked back up to the group of people at the end of the dock and wrapped his arm around Penny's shoulders. "Let's go home."


	28. Chapter 28

Elise and Penny settled onto Elise's bed as about half the girls in the lodging house, as well as Skittery and Crutchy, crowded the tiny room. The Brooklyn girls had been nice enough to clean up the room and set everything right again in hopes that Penny and Elise would come back safe and sound. Their wish had been granted, and everyone was happy to see them – even Catch, who had smiled and welcomed them back when the girls arrived.

Elise looked around the room, her eyes focusing on the open, empty dresser drawer. She looked up as the mass of girls parted.

"Let me through!" Mrs. Brown's voice commanded obedience. She appeared in front of the bed, carrying a tiny bundle. Elise's eyes lit up. "We took good care of him for you, sweetheart."

She handed the bundle to the girl, who let out a sigh of relief as she looked into her baby's face. Killian cooed happily in response, and Elise began to cry as she cradled him to her chest.

"Come on, girls, out, out. They've had a busy couple of days, and they need their rest." Mrs. Brown shooed the girls out of the room and closed the door behind her. Penny smiled in relief and gratitude as the woman left.

"You feel better now?" Crutchy asked, watching Elise cuddle the child.

Elise nodded. "He was all I could think about," she said, raising her happy eyes to Crutchy in a way that told him that wasn't entirely true. "I was so scared that I wouldn't see him again."

"Funny story," Skittery said with a grin, "we felt the same way about the two of you."

Penny laughed for the first time in what felt like ages. She reached over and took his hand, smiling up at him. "We're sorry about all of this."

Skittery scoffed. "Don't be sorry. None of this was your fault." He ran his free hand along Penny's cheek. "'Sides, if we didn't meet the two o' you, our lives would still be pretty damned boring."

Crutchy laughed and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, who needs papes when you can chase down Irish thugs and save pretty dames?"

Elise smiled. "Well, thank you."

Crutchy leaned back in the chair, grinning. "All in a day's work," he said with a cocky shrug.

The four of them erupted in laughter. As it died down, Skittery looked out the window at the setting sun. "Well, speakin' of work, I got my own to go out and do."

Penny frowned and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Can't you just miss work for one night?" She leaned her head against his stomach, refusing to let go.

Skittery laughed and stroked her hair. "Not if I wanna keep this job." He reached his hand under her chin and lifted it, smiling. As he bent down and kissed her, he chuckled. "And anyway, I got some unfinished business to take care of. Don't worry," he added when Penny looked at him in concern, "it's nothing bad. It's actually really good."

"Okay," Penny said with a sigh, squeezing his waist a little.

"You gonna walk me out?"

"Of course."

Skittery turned to Crutchy. "Make sure you get these two somethin' to eat. Somethin' decent, okay?"

"Gotcha," Crutchy replied, and then he turned back to Elise and Killian.

Penny walked Skittery down the steps and out to the front stoop. "What's this 'unfinished business' you have to tend to?"

Skittery grinned. "That's for me to know, an' for you to find out." He wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I don't even know if it's a sure thing yet, if it's gonna happen. But you'll know soon enough, okay?"

Penny rolled her eyes. "Fine." She looked at him, took in his face, his eyes, everything she thought she'd never see again. "Can... can you come back tomorrow?"

He smiled. "I'll see what I can do. I think I can squeeze in a little time to see my best girl."

"You say that like I'm not your only girl."

Skittery laughed and kissed her. "I love you. Missed you," he said, brushing a hand down her cheek and cupping her chin. "Be here when I get back, okay?" And he kissed her again.

She smiled. "I will be. I promise."

* * *

"So did you go and see your father like he wanted you to?" Elise relaxed now, glad to finally be home, back with Killian, back with Crutchy.

"Nah." Crutchy shrugged. "Ain't done much of anything the past couple'a days, worryin' about you and Penny."

"How... how did you find us?"

He cleared his throat. "Well, Skittery's got that new job down at the docks, right? Anyway, so his boss tells 'im to go and drive a shipment out to Queens and drop it off at this warehouse. So he goes with his pal James, and peeks in the window as they're unloadin' the crates." Crutchy shifted in his chair, watching her. "An' he sees all this stuff in there, and this door with crates stacked in front of it. Figures somethin's goin' on."

"Why didn't he come inside?"

"He didn't want to risk the McKennons comin' back, not when there was just one of him and James didn't know what was goin' on. 'Sides, he had to get back to work or James was gonna start askin' questions."

"So he brought you all back this morning."

"Yup. An' it worked, didn't it?" He smiled, then held his arms out for Killian. "Can I hold 'im for a little bit?"

"Of course." Elise handed Killian to him, smiling. "Thank you for making sure he was taken care of."

Crutchy looked at Killian, studied his face, and looked back up at Elise. "Well, it wasn't like we was gonna leave a baby lyin' on the floor like that. And anyway, I'm kinda attached to the little bugger. I look at him like... well, sort of like he's my own son." He swallowed the lump forming in his throat. "I ain't sure why, exactly."

"I would love for him to have someone like you for a father." Elise looked at the two of them. They made such a perfect pair. "I'd love for him to have a father at all, really."

The words hung in the air for several minutes as the two sat in an awkward silence.

Fed up with the quiet, Elise finally spoke again. "Are you going to go talk to your father?"

"Um... I don't know. I'm kind of nervous about it."

"I think you should. Even if it's just to close the book on things. You shouldn't leave him hanging, Crutchy."

Crutchy considered this for a moment. "Alright. I guess I could..."

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" His eyes went wide at the concept.

"I know you." Elise smiled softly. "You'll never do it if you don't do it right away."

He let out a little huff of air. "Fine. But only if you'll come with me."

Elise shook her head. "No."

"Why not?" Crutchy's eyebrows knitted together in frustration.

"Because you need to do this by yourself. I'll only distract you. You need to talk with your parents, just the three of you. I'm not part of your family, Crutchy."

This time he shook his head. "Yes, you are."

* * *

Skittery arrived at the docks, smiling a little to himself. Life had righted itself, in so many ways. James greeted him as he started working.

"Hey, Michaels."

"Hey, Bartlett." He loaded a crate onto a ship, excited even to be doing heavy lifting. "Our little shipment get off without a hitch?"

"Yeah. Everything's fine and dandy."

"Good."

"You still comin' over to take a look at that apartment?"

"Yeah, if your landlord don't mind me comin' over so late." Skittery smiled and loaded some more crates.

"Nah, he won't care. Long as he gets a new tenant."

Skittery laughed a little, shaking his head. "I know a couple'a people like that."

James helped him load some of the crates. "So, was that your girl here earlier?"

"Yeah," Skittery replied with a proud smile.

"She's awful pretty."

"Ain't she?"

"What's her name?"

"Penny." Skittery grunted as he hauled a heavy crate from the ship to a wagon.

"Why do I get the feelin' that your, uh, _extra cargo_ has somethin' to do with her?"

"Well..."

"You said you'd explain it to me, an' I been wonderin' all damn day." James leaned against the wagon, taking a break.

"You ready for a long story?"

"I got all night."

* * *

And a long story it was indeed. Skittery didn't finish it until they were leaving work. James was silent for most of the walk to his building.

"Those rotten sons a' bitches," he said finally. "You shoulda let me at 'em for a little bit."

"Well, much as I wanted to kill 'em, I ain't the type for murder."

"I think you'd've had a good excuse in this case."

Skittery shrugged. "Well, the problem's solved anyhow."

James nodded. "This is my building," he said, walking inside. He led Skittery to a door, pushed it open. "Landlord left it unlocked for us. I live a couple floors up, but this is the place." He lit a lantern as they walked inside. "It's got one electric light, over there," he said, pointing. "Otherwise you're stuck with candles and lanterns."

"I can deal with that." Skittery looked around the apartment. Most of the belongings had already been cleared out, but the furniture remained. There was a bed, a dresser, and a few tables, along with a rather ancient-looking sofa and several chairs. "It's bigger than I thought it would be."

"Yeah, it ain't a bad place, really."

"You got a bad rat problem or anything here?"

James shrugged. "Everywhere in New York's got a rat problem. But it's okay here."

"Well, better than what I got." Skittery laughed a little. "Your landlord gonna be here tomorrow?"

"Yeah, should be."

"Well, I'll stop by and see about movin' in here, then."

James nodded. "How come you're lookin' for a place, when you already got somewhere to live?"

"I want a place of my own. See, I live in a lodging house, an' I sell papes during the day." He shrugged. "Now that I can afford it, I want someplace I can call mine. 'Sides, I got a plan."

"It involve that girl o' yours?"

Skittery just smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bartlett."

"You didn't answer my question, Michaels."

"Don't wanna jinx it."


	29. Chapter 29

A little bell jingled as the door opened, and the man at the counter looked up. "Jacob," Jude Rosenberg said with a smile. "I didn't think you were coming."

"Sorry, Pop," Crutchy said with a sheepish smile. "We, uh... had a few things come up the past couple'a days. Had some stuff to take care of."

"Ah. Well, in any case, I'm glad you're here. Are you hungry?"

"No, thanks, Pop." He headed over to a table and sat down, rubbing at his right leg absently. The walk from Manhattan had been a long one, and with the winter coming on full-force, he found himself fully exhausted and aching a little bit.

"Well, how about a little coffee, then." Jude grabbed two cups, filled them, and came and sat down. "Your mother's coming in late today. She wanted to see Michael off to school."

"Oh. Um, okay." Crutchy sipped at his coffee. He was grateful for something hot to warm his hands.

"Michael's learning his Hebrew... do you remember Hebrew lessons at all, Jacob?"

"Well, yeah. Now an' then I catch a couple words on the street an' find myself talkin' back to 'em in Hebrew. Not so anybody can hear me though, 'cuz they'd prob'ly think I was crazy or somethin'."

Jude laughed, strong and hearty, the way Crutchy remembered so well. He missed his father, though if anyone suggested that, he'd probably beat them silly with his crutch. "So, Jacob, what is it you've been doing all this time?"

Crutchy shrugged. "Just... just bein' a newsie. Sellin' papes, an' I been livin' in Manhattan, at this lodging house."

"So you've got yourself a steady job."

"Steady enough." He drank more of his coffee.

"And how did you meet that friend of yours, Elise, was it?"

"Yeah." Crutchy sighed. "It's a long story, Pop, an' it ain't a happy one. I'd rather not get into it."

"Alright. But you stayed friends with her, courted her, though she's an unwed mother."

"Well, we newsies, we don't judge people. Not our place. 'Sides, it ain't like she got put in a family way by choice, if you know what I'm sayin'. An' I ain't courtin' her... I don't think, anyway."

Jude shook his head. "I'm sorry, Jacob." He took a sip of his coffee, watching his son over the rim of the cup. "Now, I'm wondering. Were you a part of that strike last summer?"

Crutchy sighed. "Pop, did you call me all the way out here to shoot the breeze, or did you actually have somethin' you needed to talk to me about?"

His father's face froze, staring at him for a moment. "I... well, your mother and I had a long talk after you came into the shop that day. We've been discussing it since, and we've finally come to a conclusion."

"Uh-huh." Crutchy finished his coffee, then sat and fiddled with the cup, anything to avoid making eye contact with his father.

"You see, Jacob, about a year after you left, your mother and I gave up hope that you were even alive, let alone that we'd see you again. But we never forgot about you, we never stopped loving you. We thought about you every day, missed you, every day. You left a big hole in our lives when you took off." Jude stopped and cleared his throat, took a drink; he was not a man to cry. "And then you walk into our shop one day, out of the blue, and you're alive and well, and..." He sighed. "Jacob, we want you to come home."

"Gee, Pop," Crutchy said, still staring into his empty cup. "I... I don't know. I kinda like my life, as it is." He looked up at his father. "I like bein' a newsie."

"Well, you can still sell newspapers... I was going to have you work here, in the shop, with me, but if that's what you'd rather... We're willing to make some adjustments. We just want our son back."

"I guess I can think about the whole job deal." He shrugged. "Look, Pop, I miss you guys. An' I want to come home, I guess. But I got a whole other life in Manhattan. Kind of a family. An' I got somebody that I... well, somebody that I don't wanna leave behind."

"Elise."

"What is it with you an' bringin' her up?"

"I can see it in your face." Jude sat back with a smile. "You're in love. And you're trying to hide it, but it's not working. Those of us who've been through it can see through you like a window."

Crutchy blushed. "Anyway, do you see what I'm sayin'? This is kinda turnin' my whole world upside down."

"I appreciate that," Jude said. "But you've done the same to us."

"Alright, well, look. Like I said, I wanna come home. But... I ain't comin' home unless you agree to a couple'a conditions."

Jude leaned forward, looking into his son's eyes. "I'm listening."

* * *

Walking from the Bronx straight to Brooklyn was not a good decision on Crutchy's part. He was so worn out by the time he got there that he had to stop and rest on the front stoop of the lodging house for a few minutes before going inside. He nodded at the caretaker, then headed up the stairs.

He knocked on Elise's door, wincing a little at the dull ache in his leg. This happened a lot, especially during the winter, and he knew it would go away soon, but it was still bothersome.

Elise opened the door with a smile, which faded when she saw Crutchy's face. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Crutchy walked into the room, sat down. "Oh, yeah. Just tired, I walked here from the Bronx without stoppin'."

"You saw your father."

"Well, I told you I would, didn't I?"

Elise smiled. "That you did."

"So how's Killian this afternoon?"

"Quiet. I just fed him, and I was putting him down for a nap. So he won't be much fun for a little while. Sorry."

"Oh, that's okay. I got somethin' I was wantin' to talk to you about, anyway."

"Alright." Elise tucked Killian into his little makeshift crib, then sat down on her bed, facing Crutchy. "It has to do with your talk with your father today, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. I talked to 'im for a long while today, an' it turns out, he and my ma do want me to come home."

"Oh, Crutchy." She smiled. "That's wonderful."

"I guess. I was thinkin'... maybe... maybe I'd do it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. That's what I tol' my pop, anyway. But I told 'im I would only move back home if we made a few... adjustments."

"Adjustments?"

"Well... you know how you was sayin', a few days ago, that you might love me?"

"Yes."

"An'... an' how yesterday, you said that you wanted Killian to have someone like me as a father?"

"Of course." Elise blushed a little bit, remembering everything.

"Well, what if he did? Have someone like me as a father... I mean, have _me_ as a father." He sighed, looking into her eyes. "Do you think that'd be okay?"

"I... well... Crutchy, I'm not sure I follow where you're going with this."

"See, I... I told my pop that I'd only move back home if you an' Killian could come with me. He wants me to work in the shop with 'im, an' if I do that, it's half-mine someday. You an' me an' the baby, we could stay with my folks until we got on our feet. And I was thinkin', maybe someday, you and me could get married, and we'll run the deli and make a pretty good livin'... what do you think?"

Elise was staring, her jaw nearly on the floor. "Crutchy... I don't know what to say. _Wow_."

"I figure with Frankie and Kenny gone, you're safe here now. But I'll still protect you, and provide for ya, y'know, like a man should. And you'll have a place to live that you won't have ta pay for... I mean, you could still work if you wanted to, for Miz Green, but you could also have a job in my pop's deli... unless you just wanted to stay home and raise the baby. And I'll help you with that, too... Raisin' Killian, I mean."

"What... what about Penny?"

"You'll still see her, I mean, she's family an' all... we'll still see everybody. It's just that... well, you don't have to worry 'bout Penny. Skittery was tellin' me last night how he's got a plan for her. She'll be taken care of, just like you."

She stayed silent, just looking at Crutchy. She could tell he was being entirely honest. And what she'd said before, she'd meant: she _did_ love him, and she did want him to be Killian's father. It was all just so much to stomach at once.

"So whattaya say?"

Elise was quiet for a few moments more, considering. After a pregnant pause, she nodded. "I say yes."


	30. Chapter 30

"So you'll be takin' it, then?" The landlord in James' building was a nice enough man. He'd spoken with Skittery briefly and got a good impression of him, and now they were wrapping things up.

"Yes, sir, I think so." Skittery took one final look around the apartment and nodded.

"And when can you move in?"

"Well, I ain't got a lot of stuff, so I expect to be all moved in by tomorrow or the day after."

"Good, good." The man nodded. "And you won't be comin' in late with the rent, will you?"

"No, sir, I'm workin' two jobs here right now, an' my girl, I'm hopin' she'll be here two, she works. So you'll find a couple'a real good tenants in the two of us."

The landlord's smile faltered a little. "Son, I don't know how I feel about lettin' young couples shack up in my building."

Skittery shook his head. "Oh, no. See, I'm hopin' to get hitched. We won't be shackin' up under your roof, sir."

"Alright, good, good." He nodded. "So you'll be movin' in startin' tonight, then?"

"Yeah. Um, if you'll excuse me for a little while, though, I got a little somethin' I gotta go take care of, but I'll be back here in probably about half an hour."

"Take your time, son."

* * *

Skittery whistled jovially as he walked the few blocks to the Brooklyn lodging house. He greeted the caretaker and jogged up the stairs, finding Penny in her bunk, sewing an apron. "Hey," he said, leaning against the door frame.

Penny looked up. "Well, hello!" She set the apron down beside her and stood up. "I wasn't expecting you here so soon." She tucked her hair behind her ears and smoothed her skirt, then smiled at him. "You look excited about something."

"You awful busy right now?"

She shrugged. "No, I can take a break... why?"

He held his hand out. "C'mon. I got somethin' I wanna show you."

* * *

They walked back the few blocks, with Skittery staying in excited silence and Penny asking questions the whole way.

"Seriously, Skittery, where in the hell are we going?"

They approached the building, and Skittery grinned. "Here."

"Who lives here?"

"Lots'a people." He jogged up the couple flights of stairs to the apartment door, and unlocked it. Stepping inside, he pulled Penny in. "Whattaya think?"

She looked around. "I think it's an empty flat. Why? Whose is it?"

Skittery grinned proudly. "Mine."

Penny blinked. "What?"

"I been savin' for a couple'a years, an' I'm pullin' in a little extra money with my two jobs, an' I finally got enough to pay for my own place."

"Wow, Skittery," Penny said, looking around again, this time impressed. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks," he said, closing the door. "Um, I know it ain't much, but there's room for two, and maybe... um, maybe three, someday." Skittery shuffled his feet nervously, looking around the room. "It's a good place to start out, don't you think?"

"Skittery, what are you talking about?"

"Well, I been thinkin'," he said, staring more at Penny's forehead than her eyes. He finally worked up the courage and his eyes met hers. "You and me, we ain't been together that long, but long enough to love each other, an' we've known one another for a while here. I was thinkin' it could be us, I mean, you and me, livin' here... that is, if you'll have me." He took her hand and smiled nervously. "I can't give you a ring or nothin', but I can give you my word..." Skittery coughed, shook his head. "What I'm tryin' to say here is... Penny, will you marry me?"

Penny stood, staring, stuttering. Unable to actually speak coherently, she just nodded.

He scooped her up with a kiss, and walked further into the apartment to take in their new home.

* * *

And so it was over. Life could go on in the best of ways. The world could be right again and its people could be happy – for four of them, more so than they ever thought possible.

* * *

**A/N: Ladies and gents, it's over. Complete with fairy-tale ending, because it needed it. I want to thank you all for faithfully reading, and for your encouragement. I really hate to end it here, but there really isn't anywhere else to go with it, and it needed to end on its highest note. I achieved what I wanted to with this story. I hope you all saw that. I love you all. This story, in its entirety, is dedicated to Rustie73 for her incessant egging-on throughout the duration of the writing process. Thanks, Rustie, and thanks to the rest of you as well. -Layne**


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